Solar Power

There are several different systems which take advantage of the power generated from the Sun.

• The photovoltaic effect is when photo cells convert sunlight directly into electricity - this has been used for sometime to power certain calculators, for example. In this country, Photovoltaic cells (PV's) are being used as roof tiles. They cover the roof of a house and take advantage of the light coming from the Sun. This is trapped by the cell and turned into electricity.

• Another way to take advantage of the energy from the Sun, is to design buildings so they can collect the heat. They do this by designing the building sensibly and facing it in a way where it can use the Sun to the maximum benefit. Large glass windows help with this, especially during the winter when the Sun is very low. In the summer, balconies and trees protect the building from getting too much heat.

• A reasonably simple method of using the benefits of the Sun is to heat our water pipes. Painting the thin pipes black and putting them in a 'greenhouse' type insulator can heat our water supply and therefore reduce the cost of using electricity to heat it.

<<Previous Topic - Next Topic >> 2

Directory Links:

Useful Links: