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Solar Energy: Futures energy source.
Solar energy is a clean and relatively inexpensive form of energy
when compared to traditional energy sources. Although initial investment
is high, it pays back over the years and eventually is a free energy
source for who has the investment made.
Beside from being completely independent of your power company, it’s
possible to sell your surplus to them on a very attractive rate.
Solar thermal heat as water and home heating is a cheaper form of
heat than which is supplied from non-renewable energy sources.
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Solar water heating and Solar home heating.
Solar power is the basis for all life on earth! Solar heating has
been used for thousands of years to warm dwellings (solar thermal).
Solar water heating;
Solar water heating systems use heat from the sun to work alongside
your conventional water heater. The technology is well developed with
a large choice of equipment to suit many applications.
For domestic hot water there are three main components
Solar panels or collectors - are fitted to your roof. They collect
heat from the sun's radiation. There are 2 main types of collector:
Flat plate systems - which are comprised of an absorber plate with
a transparent cover to collect the sun's heat, or
Evacuated tube systems - which are comprised of a row of glass tubes
that each contain an absorber plate feeding into a mainfold which
transports the heated fluid.
A heat transfer system - uses the collected heat to heat water;
Hot water tank - stores the hot water that is heated during the day
and supplies it for use later
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The benefits
Solar water heating can provide you with about 2/3 of your hot water
needs. The average domestic system reduces C02 by around 350kg per
year and and you could be saving $700 a year of your hot water bills,
depending on the fuel replaced.Calculate
your hot water use.
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Solar Home Heating
Don’t try to fool yourself that you can go 100% on solar space
heating if you live in Canada or the Northern part of the US unless
you want to install the same square footage as the square footage
of your home in solar panels and have a solar heat storage space the
size of your basement.
The alternative;
Passive Solar Space Heating
Passive solar space heating takes advantage of the heat from the sun
through design features, such as large south-facing windows, and materials
used for floors or walls that absorb the solar heat during the day
and release that warmth at night.
Passive solar design systems;
Direct gain stores and slowly releases heat energy
collected from the sun shining directly into the building and warming
materials such as tile or concrete. Care must be taken to avoid overheating
the space with a roof overhang, which shade the floor or wall in summertime.
Indirect gain uses materials that hold, store, and
release heat; the material is located between the sun and living space
(typically the tomb wall).
Isolated gain collects solar energy remote from the
location of the primary living area. For example, a sunroom attached
to a house collects warmer air that flows naturally to the rest of
the house.
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Passive Solar Heating and Cooling |
Solar Power, "photovoltaic" or "photoelectric"
cells
Solar power works well for most items except large electric appliances
that use an electric heat element such as a water heater, clothes
dryer and electric stove - for example - or total electric home heating
systems. It is not cost effective to use solar power for these items.
Conversion to natural gas, propane or other alternatives is usually
recommended. Solar power can be used to operate a gas clothes dryer
(Maytag, etc) because the electrical requirement is limited to the
drum-motor and/or ignito-lighter, but not a HEATTING element for drying
the clothes, for example.
The possible eco-friendly alternative energy sources are;
Solar
Wind Power
Geothermal
Tidal Power
Hydroelectric
Bio Fuel
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Solar
power is renewable. The Sun will keep on shining, so it makes sense
to use it. |
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