subject: Ways of Having Solar Energy for Your Home [print this page] Ways of Having Solar Energy for Your Home
Solar energy has been harnessed by humans since the olden times, and is now once again becoming a popular alternative for electrical energy for homes. With the advancing technologies in the use of solar energy and the increase in electricity prices, more and more homes are looking into harnessing the power of the sun as an energy supplier.
As an energy saving option, there are several applications by which homes can harness the power of the sun. Examples of them are:
1. Solar Panels.Solar energy is most commonly harnessed by installing solar panels in sunlit areas such as rooftops. Solar panels are a collection of solar cells, which is a device that converts sunlight into electricity by means of photovoltaic effect. The theory of operation is that when sunlight hits the solar panels, the photons are absorbed by the semi conducting materials in the panel causing electrons to become loose, whose movement then produces electricity. With enough solar panels absorbing photons from the sun, a significant amount of usable direct current energy can be generated, making them a good alternative energy source.
2. Solar Heating Systems.Unlike solar panels, solar heating systems do not generate any electricity, but instead just uses the sun to heat liquids. It is usually composed of solar thermal collectors, a storage area, and a pipe system that moves the liquid between the thermal collector and the storage. Typical uses for this system is for heating water for use in showers, and in some cases it may even generate enough heat for heated swimming pools.
3. Solar Architecture.Solar architecture is basically designing a house by taking into consideration the location and climate of the area in such a way that it either reduces or completely eliminates the need for heating or cooling systems while still maintaining thermal comfort. It is part of the green building designs which aims to build structures that efficiently use an energy monitor to cover electricity, water, and other resources while providing comfort and protection for the occupant.
4. Solar Cookers.Solar cookers are devices which uses sunlight as the heat source. The basic principle for solar cookers is that a shiny reflective metal concentrates the direction of light into an area of the pot which is then converted into heat when the light is absorbed. The heat is trapped inside effectively generating enough heat in enough time to cook food. Over 50 major designs and hundreds of variations of solar cookers are available in the market which makes this a good energy saving option.
Solar energy is one of the most available renewable energy on earth. For homes looking for energy saving options, these systems will certainly help them in that goal.
