How To Harvest Solar Energy?

1. 79

   ngurecoposted 14 years ago

   How To Harvest Solar Energy?

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2. 58

   pendell2posted 14 years ago

   There are currently two competing technologies for harvesting Solar Energy: older Silicon technology, and  newer "thin film" technology.
        Raw material costs determine which technology is most cost-effective at any given moment.

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3. 74

   someonewhoknowsposted 14 years ago

   Electrical energy or heat energy?
   
   You can harvest heat energy with air or water,or any of various refrigerants such as freon. This usually done using a conductive metal in which air,water,etc. enters at one end and exits at the other.Copper is the most likely metal to pipe air,water or freon.Air is the easiest way to transfer heat from the sun into a home or other building .The copper pipes are surounded by aluminum fins painted black to absorb the maximum amount of heat and a fan or blower is used to move the air through the copper pipes.It works best on a clear sunny day.

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4. 59

   MrBurtonposted 14 years ago

   You can choose one of two methods, passive or active. Using passive solar energy can be done by designing your home or any other building with "passive solar design" in mind. Meaning that the southern walls should have windows... the interior where those windows face should have a heat absorbing tile. So that in the absence of sunlight they give off heat. You can also install a solar water heater. This will use the heat from the sun to warm your water.... while some places this is enough it may not be hot enough in the colder or windy climates. Therefore an instant hot water system coupled with a solar water heater will help this and reduce your energy cost.
   
   Or you can use the active part of solar with solar panel systems. These can be large or small panels or shingles for those that want to have a new roof.
   
   Commercially, solar towers are used. An array of mirrors is set to focus on to the pinnacle of a tower and boil water. This steam is used in a similar fashion as a coal or nuclear plant only without the harmful by products. This is another form of passive solar energy in use. For more examples take a look at http://websolarsearch.com/Home+Solar+Power

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