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The Benefits Of Solar Power
from: Oze ParrotNatural power from the sun has been with us for thousands of years. The earliest civilizations relied on it as a sole means of light and heating. Today the world has the technology to harness the sun's rays and transform them into solar energy that can either be stored or put to immediate use. Furthermore, sunlight is readily available and delivers enough energy per hour to supply the worlds needs for one full year. Harnessing costs are relatively small and greenhouse gas emissions are zero.
Basically, solar power is used to generate heat that can be harnessed to provide an energy source for other appliances. Direct applications of solar heating are household heating, water heating, ventilation systems and cooking methods. Harnessed solar energy can also be used to create steam that will drive a piston engine, create an electric current that can charge batteries and provide power for household appliances.
Photovoltaic cells convert the sun's rays into electricity and were originally recognized many years ago. They were first put to practical use nearly fifty years ago, when the US Government used them on their early space satellites, as an effective source of energy. They are in common use today as an energy source for solar powered calculators. Massive groups of these cells are used to make solar modules, which form a photovoltaic array that can be duplicated to provide an abundance of electrical power. This form of renewable energy is becoming ever more popular in remote areas, and can also be fed into a grid system, where it can be tapped by a number of users in other communities.
Passive solar power can be readily applied by new home builders, or renovators, to increase the amount of available, natural lighting to a building by inserting large windows in walls that face the sun. Added glass areas will allow more natural light to flood the building, and can be designed to warm the area, or insulate, it while still allowing extra lighting. Interior rooms can be naturally illuminated by placing skylights or light tubes in the roof of the building. Retractable awnings and tinting can be used to control the sun's affect on individual rooms.
Heating water for domestic use is another form of passive solar power that is cost effective and easy to install. By placing a solar panel on the roof, or a suitable stand that faces the sun, copious amounts of hot water can be produced and stored in an insulated receiver.
By installing a vertical tube, or passage in a wall that faces the sun, a building, or room can be passively cooled by using the heating power of the sun's rays. The theory is that the air in the tube is heated by the sun, which causes the air to rise and be exhausted through a small chimney on the roof. Air from inside the building, will be drawn through a vent in the wall that connects to the ventilation tube, allowing a constant stream of fresh, cool air to pass through the room.
As conventional energy costs continue to soar, people are encouraged to implement the many passive solar energy sources that are available. They are easily installed, efficient, cost litle or nothing to run and are environmentally friendly.
Oze Parrot
Oze Parrot is an author, publisher and Internet marketing consultant.
Formerly a tourist operator and real estate business marketing consultant
Location: Queensland, Australia.
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