The many faces of solar energy

The Many Faces of Solar Power

Living in Nevada, the sun is a practically consistent buddy. This provides Nevadans a special chance to utilize solar radiation powers for good. In April, a trip of southern Nevada homes shed some light on the subject of solar energy homes. Hosted by the American Solar Energy Society, this Nevada branch of the National Solar Tour checked out homes that utilized both passive and active solar energy, thermal hot water systems, and other environmentally functions. However, unless you're a green technologies professional, or took the trip, you may not know the difference in between passive and active solar, or how thermal hot water is various than average. Let me help you understand!

Active solar innovation is the one that many people may be familiar with. It includes having a photovoltaic panel that gathers the sun's energy and converts it into electrical power. These have a battery where energy is kept, so electrical power can still be used at night, and, to a particular degree, on cloudy days. Solar panels are an excellent way to make electrical energy, particularly in remote areas. While they are reasonably pricey to set up, and do require some maintenance, they provide reliable and free electricity, even in environments far less bright than Nevada's.

Passive solar innovations are far older than active ones, and involve making use of the natural heat and light the sun produces, without transforming it in any other way. Have you ever observed that after a long, hot day, south-facing rocks, pavement or brick and cloggeed drain vic adobe structures will radiate warmth? They have actually spent the day passively collecting solar power, and are releasing it. Some materials are much better at taking in and keeping that heat than others. For example, wood insulates, implying it will obstruct temperature levels, whereas stone will soak up and emergency plumber near me release temperature levels. Homes that are constructed to benefit from passive solar are typically built of brick, adobe or concrete. Cob is another passive-solar-friendly and ancient building material that is going through a revival of sorts. It is made from sand, clay and straw, similar components as adobe, but adobe is baked into bricks and stacked, whereas cob structures are free-formed while the material is damp. Passive solar homes generally have a great deal of windows lining their south walls, and less so their east and west walls, with little to no windows on the colder north sides. These windows do two things. First, they supply natural light inside the home, one element of passive solar. Second, they allow heat to come into the home. If the home has a stone tile flooring and even walls, that tile will soak up the heat, releasing it later on when the outdoors temperature level drops.

Passive solar homes can be developed to be cool in summertime while using the sun to warm them in winter. For instance, if shutters are closed during summertime, the home will stay much cooler. Likewise, the height and angle of overhang can be considered to make the most of the windows direct exposure to low winter season sun, however reduce direct exposure to the high summer sun. Additionally, I saw a fascinating example of somebody planting deciduous trees on the south side of their home. In the winter season, the trees had no leaves therefore allow a great deal of light and heat. In the summer season, their thick greenery offered shade that kept your house cool.

So that is the significant difference between active and passive solar innovations. Since passive solar is essentially totally free, it would be wise for any architect or home designer to take it into consideration when constructing brand-new homes. Well designed passive solar homes can considerably decrease their electrical energy requirements. And while active solar is brilliant technology, it still takes numerous resources to create. Plus, it may be superfluous in a location with an existing electrical source.

As for thermal water heating, it too is a very easy concept. Home made thermal hot water heater can be as simple as an outside water tank painted black, but that's a little crude for most tastes. However, there are a variety of designs out there. Some have panels that are metal painted black and confined with glass, with copper pipelines filled with water running through them. This water will heat up, and is then pressed by gravity into an insulated tank. Some solar water heaters utilize a similar set-up however with tubes filled with anti-freeze that are then linked to a heat transfer loop, where water in a storage tank is heated. Whatever system you use, thermal water heating is remarkably affective.

There are a lot of ways to take advantage of the sun and utilize less electricity. Check out next year's National Solar Tour to see them for yourself.