What is Solar Power?. There are two types of Solar Power Direct: involves only one transformation into a usable form. – Sunlight hits a photovoltaic cell.

What is Solar Power?

There are two types of Solar Power

Direct: involves only one transformation into a usable form.– Sunlight hits a photovoltaic cell creating electricity.

Indirect: involves more than one transformation to reach a usable form. Many other types of power generation are indirectly solar-powered.– Hydroelectric dams and wind turbines are indirectly

powered by solar energy through its interaction with the Earth’s atmosphere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power

There are two types of Direct Solar Power:

o Passive: is a broad category of techniques for regulating a building’s indoor air and domestic water temperatures, using climate, site features, architectural elements, and landscape materials.

o Active: refers to a system which uses additional mechanisms such as circulation pumps, air blowers or automatic systems, which aim collectors at the sun.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy)

There are 3 types of collectors:

o Flat-Plate Collectors: are arrays of solar panels arranged in a simple plane; more commonly used type of collector.

o Focusing Collectors: are flat-plate collectors with optical devices arranged to maximize the radiation falling on the focus of the collector; used in few scattered areas.

o Passive Collectors: absorb radiation and convert it to heat naturally, without being designed and built to do so.

(http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/feneric/solar.html)

Replacing Fossil Fuels

Solar energy can be converted into numerous kinds of uses.

Through these uses, it can replace numerous non-renewable sources such as petroleum, natural gas, and coal

Petroleum

Americans especially depend on petroleum, but it is slowly diminishing as a resource and needs an alternative

Petroleum is used as the main source of energy for vehicles

Natural Gas

Natural gas is mainly used for heating homes Active and passive heating systems in

homes.

Coal

Coal is used to power a great majority of power plants

A non-renewable source will eventually run out

Produces a lot of emissions and is difficult to transport

Solar energy be used to

Power cars Heat homes Power electric plants

Overall

Solar energy is less expensive to produce When the source runs out, the world will end

and there will be no reason for the source Solar energy can almost

Technology needed to make this a Viable Source

Passive and Active Energy

Uses natural materials or absorbing structures to gather and hold heat

The adobe dwellings and stone- walled buildings collect heat during the day and release at night

Does not involve much technology

pumps a heat-absorbing fluid medium through a small collector

Also, does not involve much technology

Cunningham, William et al. Environmental Science A Global Concern. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 2005.

www.lucianofamily.net/.../ SanIldefonso-Pics.html

Photovoltaic Energy

In 1958, Vanguard I powered by 6 palm-sized photovoltaic cells cost $2000 per peak watt of output

1970, $100 per watt

2003, approaching $5 per watt

Last 25 years, efficiency of energy has increased from less than 1% of light to more than 10 % and over 75% in the lab

Cunningham, William et al. Environmental Science A Global Concern. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 2005.

Photovoltaic Energy

operate by the photovoltaic effect

In the future, this solar power could affect your solar power independence

Has no moving parts, no pollution, lifetime equal to fossil fuel or nuclear power plant

Solar cells that produce electricity directly from sunlight

Made up of silicon

Cunningham, William et al. Environmental Science A Global Concern. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 2005.

http://www.solarenergy.com/ws400CS.cgi?category=info_photovoltaics.html&cart_id=1051025104306148&dci=

Storage of Photovoltaic Energy

Two ways of storing energy– Electrical- battery– Electrochemical- gas tanks

Aurora IV

Cunningham, William et al. Environmental Science A Global Concern. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 2005.

http://www.despovartes.com/projects/umnsvp/aurora4/index.html

uses exotic metal alloys; gallium arsenide, semi-conducting polymers of polyvinyl alcohol

College students all over North America race solar-powered cars every year to test solar technology

Aurora IV was engineered by undergraduate students of University of Minnesota

Facts: Aurora IV has over 1,900 solar cells, top speed of Aurora 4 is over 80 mph, At 55 mph, the Aurora 4 only uses the power of a 1600 watt hair dryer

Negative Environmental Impacts

• Grid-connected central stations require significant land usage

• The manufacturing of PV cells generates hazardous materials

http://www.eere.energy.gov/solar/images/photo_01224.jpg

Positive Environmental Impacts

•Solar energy systems are silent and create no pollution or waste while operating

• Solar Energy is a renewable resource and its use does not disturb ecosystems

http://cas.bellarmine.edu/tietjen/Ec&Ev_Distance_learning/EcologyIntro/ecosystem.gif

Should Tax Dollars Support Solar Energy?

Yes.– Environmentally friendly– Costs are now comparable to alternative energy

sources– Renewable Resource