Solar Water Heating And Photovoltaic Panels - Renewable Energy For The Householder

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Producing electrical energy from sunshine is particularly interesting, as we use electricity for so many things in our everyday lives. Unluckily, the solar panels containing the photovoltaic crystals are pricey and will be so for the foreseeable future, unless big breakthroughs in technology are discovered. The photovoltaic form of conversion has no pollution and is inexhaustible.

The small cell units making useable photovoltaic panels are a form of crystal lattice which is produced in the shape of a cylinder, which is then cut into thin discs. The thin discs of the crystal lattice cells are connected together, attached to a wooden board support and covered with toughened glass. On the rear surface of the panel there is a junction box containing several electrical connections, whose configuration is determined by the amount of voltage the panel was produced for.

Like the photovoltaic systems, thermal systems for water heating is eminently renewable and doesn't pollute the environment. A modest solar collector panel area of four square meters is sufficient for approximately 80% of a family's hot water use, and bigger systems can be configured to substantially augment home heating requirements.

The use of solar power for heating water for home use is an obvious choice. It's possible to overcome the big disadvantage of regular maintenance due to the necessity of moving parts, by installing a system that takes advantage of fundamental physics and the behavior of water at different temperatures. If a grid of copper pipes is inclined at an angle and set in the sun, then the heated water will rise to the top of the grid, while the cold water will go to the bottom.

Commonly, thermal solar collector panels are mounted on an roof that is inclined any way, and the storage cylinder is inside the house, and so logically at a lower level than the panels. For this kind of installation, a pump is required to move the water and some form of electronic system has to be added. In practice, the pump doesn't rotate until the water at the top of solar panel reaches a preset temperature, say 80°C, which is detected by a special probe.

The pump then works for a preset period of time, or until the temperature falls to another predetermined level. Solar hot water systems normally use a mixture of antifreeze and water for the heat transfer medium, but there exists some installations that self-drain when not in use, so are not in danger of freezing in the winter time. A solar collector area of 30 to 40 meters square could also produce a considerable amount of space heating for an average sized house. Is solar energy renewable? A resounding 'yes' is the answer.

About the Author:
Peter Bruce is a freelance journalist operating out of Toulouse in France. Subject covered range from renewable energy to photovoltaic panels for producing energy. Is solar energy renewable?



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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