Showing posts with label renewable energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label renewable energy. Show all posts

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Solar Energy Systems

The technology of obtaining energy from the light of the sun is called Solar power system. Solar cells take the energy from sunlight and convert it to energy.
This is done with semi-conducting materials like These solar cells cannot produce usable energy by themselves, so they have to be connected to other systems to carry the electricity generated.
Photovoltaic (PV) systems are grid-tied or off-grid systems.

The difference is that a grid-tied system can feed energy back into the power grid, utilizing the grid for storage. The off-grid system’s energy must be used as it is produced or stored via on-site battery.
When the sun is shining, the photovoltaic panels generate direct current (DC) electricity, which is converted to alternating current (AC) electricity by an inverter. With grid-tied systems, when the sun is not out, your electrical demand will be automatically provided by the utility.
Off-grid systems depend on energy stored on on-site batteries to deliver power when the system is not producing enough power.
The solar electric systems work on photovoltaic principle. The heart of the system is the solar cell. The single crystal silicon solar cells convert solar energy directly to electricity.
This electricity then charges the battery through a battery charger. The electrical energy thus stored in the battery is then utilized through inverter (DC to AC) or converter (DC to DC) for various purposes such as lighting, pumping and running of the TV.
A solar lantern works on photovoltaic energy. It consists of photovoltaic module, CFL tube (Compact Flurescent Light), inverter, electronics, battery and protection system. It is available in 6 W / 7 W capacity.
The light output from a 5 W / 7 W solar lantern is around 230 / 370 lumens which is equivalent to five times that of the conventional light.
A solar domestic light can be used for the lighting requirements in houses.
It consists of photovoltaic module (18 W / 37 W / 74 W), CFL of 9/11 Watts, inverter, electronics, battery, protection system etc. Depending upon different configurations, the domestic light can be used for three to four hours. It can run the D.C. fan too.
The lightoutput from 9/11 Watt CFL is around 600/900 lumens respectively which is equivalent to five times the output from the conventional light.
The solar streetlights are suitable in remote areas, fields and other applications where light is required throughout the night.
It consists of photovoltaic module (37/74 Watts), CFL (11 Watts), battery, inverter, electronics, controls, poles and other hardware. Due to control electronics, the streetlight gets automatically switched ON at dusk, operates throughout the night and automatically gets switched OFF at dawn.

How Solar Energy Works

Solar energy is the energy from the sun to which we are endowed with. It is the power which is free and inexhaustible. It is the cleanest of all energies, for it is produced by the sun.
But, have you given a thought and asked a question about how it works. For al those who have not done that and therefore, are unaware of it, this short article maimed a helping hand to you.
It is an energy resource that serves as an alternative option to fossil fuels which are not so good for our water and air. As you know, they are a threat to human life. Besides, this leads to one of the factors that causes global warming. Our children and future generations will be affected if we do not make use of this resource. And, when it is widely available, then, not using it means great injustice to the future generation. All the life on earth is supported by the solar energy and it is the underlying root for almost all the energies we use.

The plants grow with the help of sun which make its way to get burnt in the form of biomass fuel. Else, they are compressed underground for millions of years or they are left to rot in swamps. Temperature differences happen due to the heat generated by the sun.. Wind is produced due to the sun which power turbines.
Due to the sun, water gets evaporated and falls on high elevations. Then, rushing down to the sea, it spins hydroelectric turbines as it passes.
But, mostly solar energy represents the manner in which energy of the sun can be made use to directly produce heat, lighting and electricity.
However, the sun generates radiant energy by consuming hydrogen in nuclear fission reactions. Then, this energy is transferred to the earth in chunks of energy named as photons. They react with the earth’s atmosphere and surface.

It takes 8 minutes and 20 seconds for the energy of the sun to reach out to the earth. Solar energy is received and collected by the earth in the atmosphere, oceans and plant life.
The reaction between the sun energy, the oceans, and the atmosphere, for instance generates winds that can endow electricity when directed through aerodynamically designed wind machines.

How Solar Energy Is Easily Renewed

Solar energy, as we all know is the energy we receive from the sun. It is the most effective form of energy. It is a great alternative to fossil fuels which is causing harmful effects to our body.
Global warming could be curbed with the help of solar energy. Then, it is also a renewable source of energy. Have you ever given a thought about how is solar energy renewed? For all those people who have not given such a thought, it is time for you to peep inside this tiny article which may help you a bit.
Renewable energy effectively makes use of natural resources such as sun, wind rain, tides and geothermal heat which are naturally replenished. Most of the renewable technologies are directly or indirectly operated by the sun. The sun is the main cause of renewing the energy.
That means as far as it is shining, the energy can be sustained. The earth-atmosphere system is in equilibrium such that radiation produced by heat into space is equal to incoming solar radiation. The resulting level of energy within the earth-atmosphere can roughly be described as the earth’s climate. The water absorbs a major fraction of the incoming radiation.
This energy is spread all across the globe in the form of winds and ocean currents though it is absorbed at low latitudes around the equator.
In the process of shifting mechanical energy between the atmosphere and the ocean through wind stress, wave motion really plays a handy role. The distribution of precipitation which is tapped by hydroelectric projects is also the responsibility of solar energy.
Besides, this energy is responsible for the growth of plants made use to create bio fuel.
IN the basic sense, renewable energy includes natural phenomena like sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat. According to the International Energy
Agency, renewable energy is derived from natural resources that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from the sun, or from heat generated within the earth. Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, and bio fuels and hydrogen derived form renewable resources. All these sources have their individual and unique characteristics which influence how and where they are made use.