| Solar
energy, radiant
light and
heat from the
sun, has been harnessed by humans since
ancient times using a range of ever-evolving
technologies. Solar
radiation, along with secondary
solar-powered resources such as
wind and
wave power,
hydroelectricity and
biomass, account for most of the available
renewable energy on earth. Only a minuscule
fraction of
the available solar energy is used.
Solar powered electrical generation relies
on
heat engines and
photovoltaics. Solar energy's uses are
limited only by human ingenuity. A partial list
of solar applications includes space heating and
cooling through
solar architecture,
potable water via
distillation and
disinfection,
daylighting,
solar hot water,
solar cooking, and high temperature process
heat for industrial purposes. To harvest the
solar energy, the most common way is to use
solar panels.
Solar technologies are
broadly characterized as either
passive solar or
active solar depending on the way they
capture, convert and distribute solar energy.
Active solar techniques include the use of
photovoltaic panels and
solar thermal collectors to harness the
energy. Passive solar techniques include
orienting a building to the Sun, selecting
materials with favourable
thermal mass or light dispersing properties,
and designing spaces that
naturally circulate air. |
Solar Energy