Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Homeowners Are Turning To Suns Energy For Economical Reasons

By Albert Cranton


There are two categories of the ways sun power is used. One is passive and incorporates construction techniques using materials with thermal mass and light dispersing components Interiors are designed for natural air circulation. The active methods of using solar energy are different.



The homeowner with photovoltaic panels on the roof will also have to be connected to a grid. It will enable him to get electricity from another source, such as a local electric utility in the area.

Several generations ago, the average homeowner could not afford to have installation of the panels done. The cost has decreased with increased demand and production to meet that demand. The initial investment pays off because it remains functional for twenty years or more.

For some families, depending on meeting certain criteria, there are government subsidies to help cover the cost. There may be rebates or tax deductions offered in return for having the installation done. This makes it affordable for most homeowners.

About fifty percent of light and heat emanating from the sun reaches the surface of planet Earth. Of the 174,000 terawatts of incoming radiation, thirty percent is reflected back into space. Clouds, oceans and ground absorb the rest. This absorption serves to raise temperatures.

The individual responsible for building the first sun powered engine was a well-known US Senator, Frank Shuman. It collected the radiation from the sun in small boxes of ether. This was sufficient to power a steam engine.

He collaborated with Sir Charles Vernon Boys, a British physicist, to develop an advanced version that used mirrors. In 1913 they constructed the first thermal power station. It was built in Maadi, Egypt. Then the availability of cheap oil in the 1930s curtailed the need for solar power development.

Kids are the scientists, homeowners and consumers of the future. It is time to get them excited about the development of solar powered - everything. Tell them about the solar panels on the big orange highway signs. They are not plugged in so how do they light up?

Tell them to look for the black photovoltaic panels on rooftops and the sides of cars and boats. Get them interested in the cars that will run on sunlight instead of petrol. The energy of the sun is converted into electricity to fuel them. New designs are being tested.

Kids should be excited to hear about the World Solar Challenge, a race held in Australia. This race only allows the use of cars that run on energy from the sun. In Sydney, Australia there is a passenger ferry in Sydney Harbour called the Solar Sailor. It has the capability to run on solar energy, wind, battery power or diesel fuel.

Researchers are discovering new ways to use solar power every day. It is a field that is exciting. The children will someday become scientists, researchers and inventors. They may start by inventing things that run on sun power and enter them in the science fair at their school.




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