Active, Passive and Photo-Voltaic Solar Energy

The power of the sun is a clean, renewable energy source that may be the future for our planet's energy needs.  How is solar energy harnessed for practical applications? You've probably seen solar energy panels in use in recent years. You see them on roofs of houses, apartment buildings and office buildings. Buildings in remote locations are often powered exclusively by solar energy with large solar panel systems. You have probably seen solar-powered highway signs. It makes you think: how does solar energy actually work?

If you want to take advantage of all the benefits that solar energy has to offer you need to be aware of  the various practical methods of deriving benefit from the sun's rays. The most popular methods for utilizing solar energy are 'active', 'passive' and a third method in which sunlight is transformed into electricity with the assistance of photo-voltaic cells. The advantage of using photo-voltaic cells is that it is very flexible and provides a number of benefits.

Passive Solar Thermal Energy

The passive method is certainly one of the most popular methods of attaining solar power. This is quite basic and has been used for centuries. It is implemented by designing buildings to admit sunlight and trap the heat similar to greenhouses. The costs are minimal if any but its use is limited to producing heat and only where there is sufficient sunlight.

Active Solar Thermal Energy

Active solar thermal energy is a method that absorbs heat from the sun to water-filled tubes in flat paneled solar thermal collectors. These solar collection panels are installed in locations so as to maximize the absorption of the sun's rays. The hot water is transported by low power electric pumps to a main storage tank to supply the home's hot water. This hot water is used for ordinary household purposes, such as cooking and bathing.

Another use for solar thermal energy is as an energy source for residential heating. The heating system has a network of tubes installed under the floor where the solar heated water is circulated in the home to produce radiant heat. Radiant heat works especially well in houses with ceramic tile or stone flooring.

Photovoltaic Solar Energy

This is definitely one of the most exciting areas of solar energy innovation. In contrast to solar thermal energy, photovoltaic solar cells actually convert solar heat into electrical power. Photovoltaic systems also use collector panels that are typically located on rooftops. Panels can be placed and connected to form an elaborate network of solar cells.

The solar panels are usually manufactured of silicon or silicon-based materials that maximize the absorption of sunlight. Because photovoltaic collectors convert the light of the sun, rather than the heat of the sun, into electricity, the panels can collect energy through winter, as long as the sun is shining.

The absorbed sunlight generates electricity in the solar cells, and the electricity travels to a transformer, where it is converted to AC, or alternating current power of 120 volts, which is the standard electrical current for residential use.

The power generated by photovoltaic solar energy is usually stored in a series of batteries. A solar-powered house is actually a battery-powered house, because lights, appliances and other equipment that is plugged into the electrical outlets in the house are powered by the batteries.

It is important for everyone to be aware of the benefits and uses of solar energy. The power of the sun is a clean, renewable energy source that may be the future for our planet's energy needs. As more people adopt solar energy technology for their energy needs, we conserve fossil fuels and other quickly diminishing natural resources.