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Applications of solar technology

Solar energy refers primarily to the use of solar radiation for practical ends. However, all
renewable energies, other than geothermal and tidal, derive their energy from the sun.
Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive or active depending on the way
they capture, convert and distribute sunlight. Active solar techniques use photovoltaic panels,
pumps, and fans to convert sunlight into useful outputs. Passive solar techniques include
selecting materials with favorable thermal properties, designing spaces that naturally circulate
air, and referencing the position of a building to the Sun. Active solar technologies increase the
supply of energy and are considered supply side technologies, while passive solar technologies
reduce the need for alternate resources and are generally considered demand side technologies.
Architecture and urban planning
In passive solar building design, windows, walls, and floors are made to collect, store, and
distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reect solar heat in the summer. !his
is called passive solar design or climatic design because, unli"e active solar heating systems, it
does not involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices.
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!he "ey to designing a passive solar building is to best ta"e advantage of the local climate.
&lements to be considered include window placement and glazing type, thermal insulation,
thermal mass, and shading.
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Passive solar design techniques can be applied most easily to new
buildings, but e(isting buildings can be adapted or )retrofitted).
An urban heat island *UHI+ is a metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its
surrounding rural areas due to human activities. !he phenomenon was first investigated and
described by ,u"e Howard in the $-$.s, although he was not the one to name the phenomenon.
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!he temperature difference usually is larger at night than during the day, and is most apparent
when winds are wea". /HI is most noticeable during the summer and winter. !he main cause of
the urban heat island effect is from the modification of land surfaces, which use materials that
effectively store short0wave radiation.
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2aste heat generated by energy usage is a secondary
contributor.
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As a population center grows, it tends to e(pand its area and increase its average
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temperature. !he less0used term heat island refers to any area, populated or not, which is
consistently hotter than the surrounding area.
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5onthly rainfall is greater downwind of cities, partially due to the /HI. Increases in heat within
urban centers increases the length of growing seasons, and decreases the occurrence of wea"
tornadoes. !he /HI decreases air quality by increasing the production of pollutants such as
ozone, and decreases water quality as warmer waters flow into area streams and put stress on
their ecosystems.
6ot all cities have a distinct urban heat island. 5itigation of the urban heat island effect can be
accomplished through the use of green roofs and the use of lighter0colored surfaces in urban
areas, which reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat.
7espite concerns raised about its possible contribution to global warming, comparisons between
urban and rural areas show that the urban heat island effects have little influence on global mean
temperature trends.
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Solar drying
Industrial indirect solar fruit and vegetable dryer
Solar thermal energy can be useful for drying wood for construction and wood fuels such as
wood chips for combustion. Solar is also used for food products such as fruits, grains, and fish.
9rop drying by solar means is environmentally friendly as well as cost effective while improving
the quality. !he less money it ta"es to ma"e a product, the less it can be sold for, pleasing both
the buyers and the sellers. !echnologies in solar drying include ultra low cost pumped transpired
plate air collectors based on blac" fabrics. Solar thermal energy is helpful in the process of
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drying products such as wood chips and other forms of biomass by raising the temperature while
allowing air to pass through and get rid of the moisture.
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Cooking
The Solar Bowl above the Solar Kitchen concentrates sunlight on a movable
receiver to produce steam for cooking.
Solar coo"ers use sunlight for coo"ing, drying and pasteurization. Solar coo"ing offsets fuel
costs, reduces demand for fuel or firewood, and improves air quality by reducing or removing a
source of smo"e.
Principles
Simple solar coo"ers use the following basic principles:
9oncentrating sunlight: A reflective mirror of polished glass, metal or metallised film
concentrates light and heat from the sun on a small coo"ing area, ma"ing the energy more
concentrated and increasing its heating power.
9onverting light to heat: A blac" or low reflectivity surface on a food container or the
inside of a solar coo"er improves the effectiveness of turning light into heat. ,ight
absorption converts the sun;s visible light into heat, substantially improving the
effectiveness of the coo"er.
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!rapping heat: It is important to reduce convection by isolating the air inside the coo"er
from the air outside the coo"er. A plastic bag or tightly sealed glass cover traps the hot air
inside. !his ma"es it possible to reach temperatures on cold and windy days similar to
those possible on hot days.
<reenhouse effect: !he coo"ing pot is located under a closed cover made of glass or
transparent plastic. !his )glazing) transmits incoming visible sunlight but is opaque to
escaping infrared thermal radiation.
A solar cooker is a device which uses the energy of direct sunlight to heat, coo" or pasteurize
food or drin". 5any solar coo"ers presently in use are relatively ine(pensive, low0tech devices,
although some are as powerful or as e(pensive as traditional stoves, and advanced, large0scale
solar coo"ers can coo" for hundreds of people. =ecause they use no fuel and cost nothing to
operate, many nonprofit organizations are promoting their use worldwide in order to help reduce
fuel costs *for low0income people+ and air pollution, and to slow down the deforestation and
desertification caused by gathering firewood for coo"ing. Solar coo"ing is a form of outdoor
coo"ing and is often used in situations where minimal fuel consumption is important, or the
danger of accidental fires is high, and the health and environmental consequences of alternatives
are severe.
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5any types of solar coo"ers e(ist, including parabolic solar coo"ers, solar ovens, and panel
coo"ers, among others.
Distillation
Solar stills can be used to ma"e drin"ing water in areas where clean water is not common. Solar
distillation is necessary in these situations to provide people with purified water. Solar energy
heats up the water in the still. !he water then evaporates and condenses on the bottom of the
covering glass.
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A solar still is a simple way o distilling water! using the heat o the
Sun to dri"e e"aporation rom humid soil! and ambient air to
cool a condenser #lm$ %wo basic types o solar stills are bo&
and pit stills$ 'n a solar still! impure water is contained outside
the collector! where it is e"aporated by sunlight shining
through clear plastic$ %he pure water "apor condenses on the
cool inside plastic surace and drips down rom the weighted
low point! where it is collected and remo"ed$ %he bo& type is
more sophisticated$ %he basic principles o solar water
distillation are simple! yet e(ecti"e! as distillation replicates
the way nature makes rain$ %he sun)s energy heats water to
the point o e"aporation$ As the water e"aporates! water "apor
rises! condensing on the glass surace or collection$ %his
process remo"es impurities! such as salts and hea"y metals!
and eliminates microbiological organisms$ %he end result is
water cleaner than the purest rainwater$
*reen houses
A greenhouse *also called a glasshouse+ is a building or comple( in which plants are grown.
!hese structures range in size from small sheds to industrial0sized buildings.
9ommercial glass greenhouses are often high tech production facilities for vegetables or flowers.
!he glass greenhouses are filled with equipment li"e screening installations, heating, cooling,
lighting and also may be automatically controlled by a computer to ma(imize potential growth.
A greenhouse is a structural building with different types of covering materials, such as a glass or
plastic roof and frequently glass or plastic walls> it heats up because incoming visible sunshine is
absorbed inside the structure. Air warmed by the heat from warmed interior surfaces is retained
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in the building by the roof and wall> the air that is warmed near the ground is prevented from
rising indefinitely and flowing away. !his is not the same mechanism as the )greenhouse effect).
Water heating
Solar water heating *S2H+ or solar hot water *SH2+ systems comprise several innovations
and many mature renewable energy technologies that have been well established for many years.
In a )close0coupled) S2H system the storage tan" is horizontally mounted immediately above
the solar collectors on the roof. 6o pumping is required as the hot water naturally rises into the
tan" through thermosiphon flow.
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Roof-mounted close-coupled thermosiphon solar water heater.
In a )pump0circulated) system the storage tan" is ground0 or floor0mounted and is below the
level of the collectors> a circulating pump moves water or heat transfer fluid between the tan"
and the collectors.