The primary solar technologies

Despite the dreadful reports of climate-related weather catastrophes, there have been encouraging developments in solar technology. Some of this is due to man’s overproduction of fossil fuels. Would we have ever been motivated to choose clean energy technologies if our air quality had not become so toxic? Likely not, and there are some who even deny that the earth is warming. Solar energy is the cleanest, most abundant renewable energy source available to us at this time. None of the other renewable energy sources are ready to go yet. The U.S. has some of the world’s richest solar resources. Technology now allows us to gather this resource in several approaches, giving individual families and commercial enterprises flexible ways to utilize the light and heat of the sun.

Primary existing solar technologies

Currently, there are three main technologies by which solar energy is commonly harnessed: photovoltaics (PV), which directly convert light to electricity; concentrating solar power (CSP), which draws heat from the sun (thermal energy) to drive utility-scale, electric turbines; and heating and cooling systems, which collect thermal power to provide hot water and air conditioning. Solar energy can be used through distributed generation, whereby the equipment may be located on rooftops or ground-mounted arrays near to where the energy is used. Some technologies can be expanded into utility-scale applications to produce energy as a central power plant.

Photovoltaic technology

Photovoltaic (PV) technologies directly convert energy from sunlight into electricity. When sunlight strikes the PV module, made of a semiconductor material, electrons are stripped from their atomic bonds. The flow of electrons makes an electric current. PV modules contain no moving parts and are expected to last thirty years or more with minimal maintenance. PV electricity output peaks mid-day when the sun is at its highest point in the sky and can offset the most costly electricity generated when demand is greatest. Homeowners can install a few dozen PV panels to reduce or eliminate their monthly electricity bills, and utilities can build large “farms” of PV panels to generate pollution-free electricity for their customers.

Concentrating Solar Power

Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants use mirrors to concentrate the sun’s thermal power to drive a conventional steam turbine to make electricity. The thermal energy concentrated in a CSP plant can be stored to produce electricity when it is needed, day or night. Today, over 1,400 MW of CSP plants operate in the U.S., and another 340 MW of CSP projects will be placed in service within the next year. The two commercialized CSP technologies are Power Towers and Parabolic Troughs. Other CSP technologies include Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR) and Dish Engine. CSP specific conditions to produce power, such as areas where direct sunlight is most intense (e.g., the U.S. Southwest) and contiguous parcels of arid, flat land.

Solar heating and cooling

Solar heating and cooling methodologies exist to collect thermal energy from the sun and use this heat to provide hot water and heating and cooling for residential, commercial and industrial purposes. There are several types of collectors: flat plate, evacuated tube, Integral Collector Storage (ICS), thermosiphon and concentrating. These systems provide a return on investment in about 3-6 years.

Water heating, space heating, and space cooling accounted for 69 percent of the energy used in an average U.S. household  – representing the abundant market potential for solar heating and cooling technologies. For instance, solar water heating systems can be installed on every home in the U.S., and a properly designed and installed system can provide 40 to 80 percent of a building’s hot water needs.

Solar power is here to stay, and the sooner you explore how much you can save, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of residential solar power.

Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.

HahaSmart Blog - More Solar Tips and Guide
HahaSmart News - Stay Informed
Your Solar Incentives - See Credits and Incentives in Your Area
Check Your Home's Solar Price - See How Much You Save
Register Now - Unlock The Lowest Solar Prices in Your Area