Solar Energy For Residential Use
By: Phil Nichol..
Solar heating if often the first thing that comes to mind when you think of solar energy at home but this is not it's best use. At best, solar heating can support the main heating a little in colder climates whilst in places such as Australia and California it can be worthwhile, but then it's not needed so often.
Solar Technology
A number of technologies have been developed to make use of solar radiation. Some of these make direct use of solar energy for lighting and heating etc., while others produce electricity. They are:
1. Solar thermal energy collection systems which produce electricity through mirrors and a number of tubes which are filled with fluid.
2. Solar thermal collectors which are used to generate heat.
3. Photovoltaic panels which produce electricity using sunlight. However, the current they generate is D.C. and would need to be converted to A.C. for residential use. Just heating one home would require a very big large area so solar panels are not often used for domestic heating.
4. Solar hot water panels which heat water in the home.
How Efficient are Solar Panels?
Solar panels are only efficient when they receive direct sunshine producing very little power in cloudy conditions or shade. However, it is the sunlight that generates electricity. Solar panels used in very hot climates are less efficient than those used in sunny but cold climates because heat actually interferes with electricity production. Efficiency decreases when the temperature of the panel is more than 50 degrees centigrade.
At different times during the day, as the sun's angle to the panel differs, the amount of energy produced varies. Most often it is better when the panel is sloped but on cloudy days horizontal mounted panels are more productive. The most energy is generated when the panel is pointed directly towards the sun.
Although the popularity of home solar energy has been decreasing since the 1970s, billions of dollars have been spent on developing Photovoltaic systems in America and Japan. Lately, Germany has also joined in the research so costs are falling. Also, in some countries you can recoup some of your expenses by selling excess energy back to the electricity companies.
Article Source: http://www.ezarticles.info
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