Solar Energy An Overview Kenneth M Klemow Ph

Solar Energy: An Overview Kenneth M. Klemow, Ph. D. Wilkes University

Points to be covered l l l l Energetics of sunlight at the earth’s surface Indirect uses of solar energy Direct uses of solar energy Types of solar electrical generation Current levels of solar electrical generation capacity worldwide Benefits of solar power generation Disadvantages of solar The Web. Quest

content. answers. com/main/conten

Solar energy vs. demand l l l Total solar = 3850 zettajoules (ZJ) per year. Oceans absorb approximately 285 ZJ of solar energy per year. Winds can theoretically supply 6 ZJ of energy per year. Biomass captures approximately 1. 8 ZJ of solar energy per year. Worldwide energy consumption was 0. 471 ZJ in 2004. [11]

Indirect uses of solar energy Wind Hydro Biomass

Solar energy is used in two ways Direct www. bestbuypoolsupply. com Electrical generation http: //static. flickr. com/28/95708914_9 c 915 fb 6 f 1. jpg

Direct uses of solar energy l l l Home heating and cooling Cooking Lighting © 2000 Geothermal Education Office

Home heating and cooling www. rainbowtradingpost. co. uk www. urbanoptions. org/Renewable. Energy

Rooftop solar heating unit at California College of Arts San Francisco Campus www. greatbuildings. com/

Cooking www. cookwiththesun. com home. att. net/~cleardomesolar

Solar Lighting (Daylighting) Clerestories www. greatbuildings. com/ Fiber Optics architecture. myninjaplease. com

Skylights www. constructiondeal. com

Solar Tubes www. woodheatstoves. com www. luminessencelighting. com

Types of solar electrical generation Photovoltaic( PV) greenoptions. com Solar thermal www. renewableenergyaccess. com

Photovoltaic cell

Forms of solar thermal electrical generation Concentrated Solar Power Tower www. trec-uk. org. uk

Forms of solar thermal electrical generation Solar parabolic collectors www. trec-uk. org. uk

Solar powered transportation Zephyr - solar airplane Solar powered car from Durham University www. treehugger. com www. dur. ac. uk/dusc

solarmarshal. com/images/solar_thermal 1. jpg

Global Solar Thermal Capacity

http: //farm 1. static. flickr. com/174/479312738_8 cd 5 f 7 c 1 f 5_o. png

http: //www. i-micronews. com/upload/Micronews/images/

© 2000 Geothermal Education Office

Benefits of solar power l l l Renewable and sustainable Generally quiet to operate Conserves fossil fuels Can be implemented remotely Can be scaled from tiny applications (solar calculators) to very large (solar powered communities) Can prevent pollution caused by fossil fuels

Existing and potential solar energy development l l The U. S. market for solar power increased approximately 60 percent in 2003, and global production has grown sixfold since 1997. More than a million Americans use solar water heaters More than two hundred thousand homes use photovoltaic systems. Enough electrical power could be generated in a one-hundred-square-mile area of the desert southwest to supply the entire country with electricity

And according to this site: http: //realneo. us/system/files? file=TERAWAT 2. JPG

Drawbacks to solar power l l l Heavy investment makes solar economically unfavorable to fossil fuels. Solar is unsuitable to high-latitude areas that receive relatively little sunshine. Solar is unreliable, especially at night, during winter, and for prolonged cloudy periods. Storage difficult; relies on batteries that may leak chemicals PV cells use heavy metals that are toxic and difficult to recycle Solar farms require much land, currently between 5 and 10 acres per megawatt.

So, is solar the answer to our energy concerns? You tell me!