How is Solar Energy Harnessed?
There is such a
huge buzz surrounding the fact that solar
energy is the 'mother of renewable energy'
– which is also the reason why more
and more people are paying attention to the
benefits of using solar energy. This is especially
useful now that there is an increased awareness
with keeping the environment clean and green.
However, no matter how popular solar energy
is, a lot of people still do not know how
solar energy is harnessed. Basically, solar
energy is yielding the rays of the sun and
converting it to produce electricity used
for numerous applications.
Here’s the answer to the question "How
is solar energy harnessed?" There are
a few basic ways for solar energy to be harnessed.
The first method is by passive solar heating.
When you passively heat a building, for example,
it should start as soon as the building is
designed. The design is made in such a way
that the building, or any other type of structure,
can take full advantage of the heat and light
of the sun. Basically, there are rules applied
to the designing of the site itself, the building's
orientation and shape, the walls, entryways
and exits, windows, skylight, interior walls
and insulation. All of these building parts
will be designed in such a way that solar
energy can be harnessed to its maximum advantage
without having to spend a single cent on traditional
power systems.
Another method of harnessing solar energy
is with the use of active solar energy systems.
An active solar energy system works when the
rays of the sun are "collected"
using solar collectors or flat solar panels
which are usually made of glass. With the
passive method of harnessing the heat and
power of the sun, this means cannot store
and convert electricity for future use. With
an active solar energy system, the opposite
is true. Here, solar energy can be harnessed,
stored and used primarily for heating purposes.
The basic parts of an active solar energy
system include the collector or solar panels,
the controls, a storage tank and the system
which will distribute the power collected.
When used in residential applications, active
solar energy systems can be used for pool
heating purposes, water heating and to provide
basic electricity to the homeowner.
Electrical solar energy or photovoltaic energy
is another means of harnessing solar energy.
Here, solar cells are used to convert solar
energy into electricity. The size of the cells
will vary depending on the application, but
it can range from the very small solar panels
used to power your calculator, or it can be
as big as entire fields of solar panels which
produce enough solar energy to meet the power
demands of an entire commercial building or
residential unit. After having a basic idea
on how solar energy is harnessed, you can
consider joining the thousands of homeowners
who are already taking advantage of the benefits
of having a solar energy system installed
in their houses.
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