Uses of Solar Energy

We know today that there are multiple uses of solar energy. We use the solar energy every day in many different ways.
When we hang laundry outside to dry in the sun, we are using the solar heat to do work, drying our clothes. Plants use the solar light to make food. Animals eat plants for food. And as we learned, decaying plants hundreds of millions of years ago produced the coal, oil and natural gas that we use today.
Very often there is confusion about the various methods used to harness solar energy.
Energy from the sun can be categorized in two ways – one is in the form of heat (or thermal energy) and the other is in the form of light energy.
Solar thermal technologies uses the solar heat energy to heat substances (such as water or air) for applications such as space heating, pool heating and water heating for homes and businesses. There are a variety of products on the market that uses solar thermal energy.
Often the produces used for this application are called solar thermal collectors and can be mounted on the roof of a building or in some other sunny locations.
The solar heat can also be used to produce electricity on a large utility scale by converting the solar energy into mechanical energy.
So, fossil fuels is actually solar energy stored millions and millions of years ago.
Indirectly, the sun or other are responsible for all our energy.
Even nuclear energy comes from a star because the uranium atomsused in nuclear energy were created in the fury of a nova – a star exploding.
Solar energy has a variety of uses. These include running a remote home, water heating, solar energy centres and efficient fuel. Solar cookers are an excellent way to indicate that we are using direct solar energy.
Solar Lanterns used by us are indicative factors that we are using solar energy.
Solar energy is consumed in the form of our using solar street lights. We have been using solar energy in the form of solar domestic lights.
By using solar power for water heating, we can have an almost zero cost swimming pool or hot water supply. Solar panels are installed on the roof and a duct is installed.
A transfer fluis is run along the duct from the panels to water and the heat energy is exchanged between the two.
So, instead of having high electric bills due to keeping our pool warm during the winter months or if it is cold all year around, we have ben trying solar powered heated systems.