Environmentally Friendly Alternatives for Residential Power

Environmentally Friendly Alternatives for Residential Power

Background Report

November 26, 2006

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ..............................................................................2

Introduction .......................................................................................3

Discussion .......................................................................................3

Passive Solar .............................................................................3

Solar Thermal Electricity ................................................................3

Solar Cells or Photovoltaic Energy .............................................4

History of Solar ...........................................................................4

The Advantages of Solar Power.......................................................6

The Disadvantages of Solar Power ................................................6

Efficiency of Solar Cells ...............................................................7

Conclusion .........................................................................................7

Bibliography ........................................................................................8

Executive Summary

This is a report about solar energy for the residential group, Pittsburg Greens. It was researched and written by ABC Technical Research to produce a technical background report on alternatives for residential power that can be implemented by individuals on their home property in Southeast Kansas.

The information about solar energy that ABC Technical Research compiled dealt with the different ways to transform solar energy into usable forms:

* Passive solar energy - non-mechanical ways of using the sun's heat for everyday life; sun rooms, sky lights, clothes lines, and many more.

* Solar Thermal Electricity - concentrate a large area of sunlight into one small spot that is used to heat water and create steam, which turns a turbine that creates electricity.

* Solar Cells or Photovoltaic Energy - silicon based solar cells that directly transfers sunlight into electricity.

The history and efficiency of today's solar cells have also been included as well as some advantages and disadvantages:

* Advantage - Sunlight is available anywhere on the surface of the planet.

* Advantage - Home solar systems are virtually maintenance free.

* Disadvantage - Inclement weather (cloudy days, snow on panels)

* Disadvantage - Cost

Environmentally Friendly Alternatives

for Residential Power

Introduction

This is a report about solar energy for the residential group, Pittsburg Greens. It was researched and written by ABC Technical Research to produce a technical background report on alternatives for residential power that can be implemented by individuals on their home property in Southeast Kansas. It has been found that solar energy is simply light and heat from the sun. There is a long history in the way people have transformed sunlight into usable energy. Today silicon based solar cells can transform sunlight directly into electricity. These cells can power the smallest of electronic equipment, individual houses, or whole power plants. There are many advantages in using solar cells and many disadvantages as well.

Discussion

What is solar energy? Simply stated - solar energy is light and heat from the sun. What is sunlight? Exactly - we don't know - but most scientist believe that sun light is composed of particles called photons. Photons are believed to be small bundles of electromagnetic energy that move at the speed of light. There are several ways to transform solar energy into useable forms:

Passive Solar

The oldest forms of harnessing the sun's energy are called passive solar. They are non-mechanical ways of using the sun's heat for everyday life - drying clothes on the line, using skylights, making sun tea, etcetera.

Solar Thermal Electricity

Another way to use the sun's energy is to concentrate a Heliostats

large area of sunlight into one small spot; this process is (Figure 1)

called solar thermal electricity. It can be done with specially shaped mirrors or "highly curved mirrors called a parabolic trough" (Energy Story). The sunlight is focused on a water source - the water is boiled to create steam - the steam is used to turn a turbine and that in turn makes electricity. Different styles and shapes of mirrors can be used for the same principal. Hundreds of mirrors called heliostats can circle a tall tower and move to face the sun all day long. The light is pointed to the top of the tower where water is turned into steam. Refer to the figure 1.

Solar Cells or Photovoltaic Energy

The newest and most exciting way to harness energy from the sun is to create electricity directly from sunlight with the use of solar cells;