2.
Solar Energy
Definition: radiant light and heat
from the sun that is used and
transformed into different types of
energy.
Most abundant source of
renewable energy on the planet
Production of solar energy uses
heat engines and photovoltaic
The most common way of
collecting solar energy is by use of
solar panels
energy storage methods:
paraffin wax
glaubers salt
salts are good
low cost
high specific heat levels and
can deliver the right
temperature heat to
conventional heating systems
3. Advantages/ Disadvantages
Advantages
Long lasting
Can be used anywhere
Silent and non polluting
Solar cells can be added
when there is demand for
more energy
Sunlight that reaches the
earth everyday is 200,000
times the total electrical
energy generated
everyday
Solar power production is
growing rapidly
It is a secure type of
energy
Disadvantages
High initial cost
Takes a lot of solar panels to
be efficient initially
Can only generate during the
day
Cost about twice of what
fossil fuels do
4. Facts about Solar Power
passive or active solar:
Active; photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors
Passive; buildings pointed to the sun, spaces within
buildings with rooms that circulate air, and building with
materials that have a favorable thermal mass
Solar wind and biomass are the top consumed type of energies
from humans
Biomass could lead solar in terms of consumption, but it is a
cause of global warming and is bad for agriculture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmWrGPKcMNM
5. Applications:
Houses:
solar lighting, heating and
ventilation systems
pumps fans and windows
Use natural solar lighting when
building
Hybrid solar lighting: faces
mirrors track the sun
throughout the day and use
optical fibers to distribute it
Water heating: china and
Cyprus have the most amount
of solar thermal water heaters
Farming:
greenhouses turn solar
energy to hear
Photovoltaic cells: collect
photons and release electrons
as energy
Made of silicon
as small as a calculator and
as large as pods in desert
parabolic discs
6. Solar Energy in Daily Life
Water heating system
(Schematic diagram )
Basic Theory: Collect the
solar radiation, transfer it
to heat energy and apply
in our daily life.
As the solar panel collect
the heat from the solar
and transfer it to the
water inside the pipe, the
water is heated and
outflow from the other
pipe.
Then, we may use the hot
water in the showers,
warming machine.
7. Solar Energy for Industrial
Applications
Basic Theory of Solar power
plant
(1). Sunlight → Heat →
Electricity:
transfer
the heat from the solar
thermal collector to
working medium steam,
then the steam gas
turbine engine drive the
electric generator to
generate electricity.
(2) Sunlight → Electricity:
Due to the photovoltaic
effect, we may trans the
light to electric energy
directly.
The Electricity may be
used for microwave, TV,
radio, telemetry, radio
telephones and industrial
production.