Solar Energy

can u explain in your own words what these mean!

photovoltaic cells
active solar energy
passive solar energy
concentrating solar power systems

Photovoltaics (PV) is the field of technology and research related to the application of solar cells for energy by converting sunlight directly into electricity. Due to the growing demand for clean sources of energy, the manufacture of solar cells and photovoltaic arrays has expanded dramatically in recent years.

Active solar systems use solar collectors and additional electricity to power pumps or fans to distribute the sun’s energy. The heart of a solar collector is a black absorber which converts the sun’s energy into heat. The heat is then transferred to another location for immediate heating or for storage for use later. The heat is transferred by circulating water, antifreeze or sometimes air..

Passive solar heating and cooling represents an important strategy for displacing traditional energy sources in buildings. Anyone who has sat by a sunny, south-facing window on a winter day has felt the effects of passive solar energy.

Linear concentrator systems collect the sun’s energy using long rectangular, curved (U-shaped) mirrors.

What are the percentages of power/energy saved by using solar energy and wind energy compared to what we use on average? Thoughts or ideas?

When reading about the total capacity of solar power available in the SW US or wind power available in the midwest US you see either on could potentially totally satisfy all of our power needs. However such claims need to be put into some economic perspective.

-Yes, the power is there but transmission to far places is another issue.
-As is the efficiency of such sources of energy.
-Such sources of power may not be as constant as is our need. Our electrical system needs greater capacity for energy storage. This is another technology that is concurrently being developed.

They are improving but lets not expect so much that we will be disappointed if technology does not advance as rapidly as we would wish.

Currently renewable energy is only a small percentage of US power supply: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/alternate/page/renew_energy_consump/table1.html
and a graph: http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=electricity_in_the_united_states

Specific instances for home owners or businesses will vary a great deal based upon local conditions, local incentives, amount of available investment, desired or needed return on investment…

The two methods are
- focusing sunlight onto a liquid that is heated and used to turn water into steam to drive the turbines
- photovoltaic cell (layers of silicon to generate electricity)

I am sure that the photovoltaic panels are more efficient in converting solar energy to electricity as there isn’t much loss in the process.

What are the percentages of power/energy saved by using solar energy and wind energy compared to what we use on average?

I may have misread your question, sorry if I did.

There is no energy savings by using an alternative source. Most of the alternative sources are in fact MORE expensive. People choose to pay more for solar, wind, and other alternative sources…a lot more in some cases.

As alternative energies become more efficient and cost effective they replace fossil fuels more and more, but there is still a cost to the production of the PV cells and wind turbines…lots of metal, and lots of composites including plastics, in relation to the power they produce.

Energy savings comes from conservation and increasing efficiency.

Right now, renewable energy accounts for about 7 percent of US energy consumption. Most of the 7 percent is Hydro-electric and wood burning.

how does one connect an outlet to a solar panel

and

how do you store solar energy?
recommended products please…

You store power in lead acid batteries (heavy duty car batteries). You use a diode with it so when sun goes down the power from batteries doesn’t go back to solar cells.

Then you have to run an inverter that switches power from 12V DC (if you use car batteries) to 120V AC to run household appliances. The inverter is the same thing that you can use in your car if you want to plug laptops etc into your car. It uses your car battery for power and has a receptacle in the inverter identical to want is in your house. You can buy inverters about anywhere, Autozone, Harbor Freight tools , Northern Tools, etc
inverters:
http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=inverter&Submit=Go

and solar panels:
http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=solar+&Submit=Go
This can be very expensive for home use energy.

And you need a charge controller, which controlls the charge to your battery ( takes the place of the diode above so use this instead)

Google "homemade solar power" and you’ll get lots of info

A little detail on the answer would be nice. To whom ever answers this THANK YOU very much!

Well, Solar Radiation, is a radiation that consists of Neutrinos. A neutrinos is an particle traveling almost the speed of light and can pass through anything. Thermal radiation is heat given off by particles.

Are they the same thing? Is there a different way the energy is gathered and used? Or are they 2 parts of a whole method of gathering solar energy? Inquiring minds want to know.

Photovoltaic converts light directly to enerhy using the photo-electric effect. Photothermal energy converts light directly into heat – eg. wearing black clothes on a sunny day – the black clothes will get hot quickly.

Photothermal energy can be used as a heating source to heat hot water like in solar hot water panels and hteat water or oil to pipe round in radiators. It can also be used if concentrated by mirrors and lenses to boil water to make steam which can power a steam engine to create electricity.

Has NASA developed any such aerobot for missions in Space or other planets?

yes,solar energy can be harness in a space mission but the photoradiation about which are talking
is very weak so it is can become as main fuel but we can use it as alternative source

like wind-energy propellor things or solar panels for the house, or even for the workplace
Someone please tell me about them, don’t just answer Yes or No.

yes

All is takes is vacant waste land some place, and nobody will make good on the technology. We could produce a lot of electricity with it.

there are many thing to argue,,,,,,,,
cost
area
roof consideration and many more
but the main thing is that what is the effect on our environment,,,,, these are following

Lead & Sulphuric Acid

If you have an off grid residential solar power system then chances are pretty good that you have a bank of deep cycle, lead acid batteries.

Most solar power systems come with a substantial warranty on the solar panels – 20 to 25 years in some cases. The same, unfortunately, is not true of the battery bank that is necessary for an off grid system. Batteries will need to be replaced, on average, every 5 years, at considerable expense. (Expect to pay at least $100 USD per battery, and way up from there) The more batteries your bank consists of, the more money it’ll cost you. A diligent lead acid battery maintenance schedule will keep these costs as minimal as possible.

A lead acid battery’s contents of both lead and sulphuric acid are toxic to the environment’s air, soil and water and is highly poisonous to marine life. Improperly managed, these can lead to a serious environmental disadvantage of solar energy use

Also, lead has been found to be a seroius health risk to children. .

The good news is that 98% of the materials in dead lead batteries are recoverable when recycled.

The best defense for your pocketbook and for the environment is getting the longest life possible out of your batteries and then to retire them to a recyling facility at the end of their life. There are facilities in place to recycle batteries and some very successful methods to as much as triple your battery life.

Keeping your batteries in good health keeps them out of the landfill. Following some healthy battery tips will ensure that your batteries enjoy a long life full of… electrifying experiences.

Cadmium

Cadmium is a nasty substance that can have serious health impacts. Known to be a carcinogenic agent and worse. Used in some semi conductive applications (like solar cells) the cadmium poses no health risk while contained within the cell.

A highly carcinogenic substance that poses a variety of serious health risks depending on length and method of exposure (inhalation, ingestion or absorption).

Attention to appropriate disposal methods and access to disposal facilities will be necessary, when it comes time to dispose of these materials to prevent them from leaching into soil and ground waters. More about cadmium.

more about this…………
http://www.solarpowerathome.com/disadvantage-of-solar-energy.html