Solar Energy Overview

Solar energy is viewed as the clean and renewable source of energy for the future. Solar energy can be derived directly as in the following examples :

• Sunlight hits a photovoltaic cell (also called a photoelectric cell) creating electricity.

• Sunlight hits the dark absorber surface of a solar thermal collector and the surface warms. The heat energy is carried away by a fluid circuit.

• Sunlight is focused on an externally mounted fibre optic cable which conducts sunlight into building interiors to supplement lighting.

• Most solar energy used today is harnessed as heat or electricity. Technologies that enable the use of solar energy may be grouped as below:

• Solar design is the use of architectural features to replace the use of grid electricity and fossil fuels with the use of solar energy and decrease the energy needed in a home or building with insulation and efficient lighting and appliances.

• Solar heating systems are generally composed of solar thermal collectors, a fluid system to move the heat from the collector to its point of usage, and a reservoir to stock the heat for subsequent use.

Solar Cells

Solar cells, also referred to as photovoltaic cells, are devices or banks of devices that use the photovoltaic effect of semiconductors to generate electricity directly from sunlight. Until recently, the use of solar cells has been limited due to high manufacturing costs. One cost effective use has been in very low-power devices such as calculators with LCDs. Another use has been in remote applications such as roadside emergency telephones, remote sensing, cathodic protection of pipe lines, and limited "off grid" home power applications. A third use has been in powering orbiting satellites and other spacecraft.

There are many different designs of solar systems and each system can have advantages and drawbacks. The key to efficiency is in selecting the system that best fits the application. Every style of home is unique in terms of construction, plumbing, electrical circuitry and heating demands so it is important not to select a system based on price alone. The advice we would give, is to have an appraisal carried out on the viability of the various options.