Solar information

Solar power or solar energy is a source of energy that uses radiation emitted by the Sun. It is a renewable energy source that has been used in many traditional technologies for centuries.

Solar panels

Solar energy can be captured by solar panels. There are 2 main types of solar panels which uses complete different technologies to make use of the energy from the sun:

• Solar Water Heating collectors: These panels absorbs the energy from the sun and transfer it to heat water.
• Photovoltaic or solar electric panels: These panels transform the solar radiation directly into electricity.

For maximum efficiency, solar panels should be mounted on a south facing roof at a 30° angle with the horizontal and away from any shadows from trees, surrounding buildings or chimneys.

Solar power

The use of solar power became very popular in the 1970s, but has fallen in and out of favour since depending on the potential savings when compared with fossil-fuel energy costs. Local councils started fitting council houses with facilities to use solar power. Grants are now available to help homeowners make the switch to renewable solar power energy.

Solar energy

There are three main, recognised ways of producing energy directly from the sun (solar energy) in most parts of the world including the UK. The first two, described as passive and active respectively, absorb the heat and store it to be used, for example, for space and water heating. The third method converts sunlight to electricity using photo-voltaic (pv) cells, a method which is flexible since electricity can be converted and used in many ways.

Solar energy—power from the sun—is free and inexhaustible. This vast, clean energy resource represents a viable alternative to the fossil fuels that currently pollute our air and water, threaten our public health, and contribute to global warming.

The amount of solar energy from the sun that falls on Earth’s surface is enormous. All the energy stored in Earth's reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas is matched by the energy from just 20 days of sunshine. Outside Earth's atmosphere, the sun's energy contains about 1,300 watts per square meter. About one-third of this light is reflected back into space, and some is absorbed by the atmosphere

Solar energy technologies are poised for significant growth in the 21st century. More and more architects and contractors are recognizing the value of passive solar and learning how to effectively incorporate it into building designs. Solar hot water systems can compete economically with conventional systems in some areas.

Solar water heaters

Solar water heaters and solar heating systems use heat from the sun to work alongside your conventional water heater. The technology is well developed with a large choice of equipment to suit many applications.

For domestic hot water there are three main components

Solar panels or collectors - are fitted to your roof. They collect heat from the sun's radiation. There are 2 main types of collector:

Flat plate systems - which are comprised of an absorber plate with a transparent cover to collect the sun's heat, or
Evacuated tube systems - which are comprised of a row of glass tubes that each contain an absorber plate feeding into a mainfold which transports the heated fluid.
A heat transfer system - uses the collected heat to heat water;
Hot water cylinder - stores the hot water that is heated during the day and supplies it for use later.

Solar heating

Solar Water Heating is a system for heating water using energy from the sun. Solar energy is collected by a panel, which is connected by pipes to a hot water storage device such as a hot water cylinder. Systems can be installed for domestic hot water, swimming pools, caravans and similar applications.

Solar heating is the usage of solar energy to provide process, space or water heating. Solar heating design is divided into two groups:

Active solar heating uses pumps which move air or a liquid from the solar collector into the building or storage area.

Passive solar heating does not require electrical or mechanical equipment, and may rely on the design and structure of the house to collect, store and distribute heat throughout the building (passive solar building design).