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AlixanaEuphoria on Flickr
The sky is the limit for solar power. Solar power comes from harnessing solar radiation from sunlight to generate energy. Some visionary thinkers see a future where solar power is accumulated by satellites orbiting the earth and beamed down to ground for use around the world. Today's earth-bound solar energy systems range from simple applications that are thousands of years old (such as window placement) to high technology arrays that convert sunlight to electricity.
Solar energy systems may be passive or active. Architects use passive solar principles in building design, positioning windows and overhangs both for heat and light. Passive solar water heaters collect and store the sun's heat which is transferred to water for use in the home. Active solar water heaters function much the same way but include pumps and controls to move the heat exchange fluid through the system as needed.
Photovoltaic systems are the fastest growing segment of the alternative energy industry.
Because solar power depends on sunlight, storage is the number one problem to address when designing a solar power system. In passive systems, radiant heat is stored in materials that have high "thermal mass" such as water, brick, and soil. The thermal mass stores the radiant heat of the sun during the day and releases it over night, maintaining a steady temperature.
Using a variety of active and passive designs, solar heat collectors provide hot water and space heating to over 50 million homes world-wide. What the designs have in common is that they collect solar heat and transfer it to the space or the water that needs to be heated. Some applications of solar power use parabolic reflectors to concentrate the heat of the sun. The intense heat at the focal point of the reflector can be used for cooking, water distillation, and even turbine powered electricity generation.
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