Solar Energy

1
Solar Energy

• Radiant energy produced by fusion in the suns
  core. This energy radiates out from the sun in
  all directions.
• Some of it reaches the earth as radiant energy.

2
Disadvantages

• Solar cars only run well during the day with
  direct sunlight and no clouds
• Equipment can be costly to make
• The energy needs to be stored so it can be used
  at night too

3
Advantages

• Clean source of energy that have a low
  environmental impact
• Renewable energy that can be used for years and
  years.
• Saves money within households

4
Availability!!

• Comes from the sun, so it has to be stored so it
  can be used at night
• Renewable
• Depends on time of day

5
Researchers

• Kurt Yeager, Jane Perkins, Carl Pope, David
  Freeman, and Luster Brown
• Freeman and others

6
Cost

• Solar water heating fo one house/year 400
• 30cents/ kilowatt in homes
• Electric power research institute has spent 500
  million a year on research

7
Photovoltaic (solar cell systems)

• Solar cells also can be used to power outdoor
  lighting fixtures. Producing electricity directly
  from sunlight. Solar cells also can be used to
  power outdoor lighting fixtures.
• use-Solar cells are often used to power
  calculators and watches.
• But because the lenses must be pointed at the
  sun, the use of concentrating collectors is
  limited to the sunniest parts of the country.

Solar
8
Concentrating Solar Systems
Using the sun's heat to produce electricity
Use-Many power plants today use fossil fuels as a
heat source to boil water.
9
Passive Solar Heating and Day lighting

• Using solar energy to heat and light buildings.
• Thousands of years ago, the Anasazi Indians in
  Colorado incorporated passive solar design in
  their cliff dwellings. Credit John Thornton
• use-Today, many buildings are designed to take
  advantage of this natural resource through the
  use of passive solar heating and daylighting.

10
Solar Hot Water

• Heating water with solar energy.
• For solar hot water systems, flat-plate solar
  collectors are typically installed facing south
  on a rooftop.

use-The shallow water of a lake is usually warmer
than the deep water. That's because the sunlight
can heat the lake bottom in the shallow areas,
which in turn, heats the water. It's nature's way
of solar water heating. The sun can be used in
basically the same way to heat water used in
buildings and swimming pools.
11
Solar process heat and space heating and cooling

• Industrial and commercial uses of the sun's heat.
  
• Use-ventilation air preheating, solar process
  heating, and solar cooling.