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SOLAR POWER
The basic principle of Solar Power is to convert the free supply of the sun into an energy source. Solar Power became very popular in the 1970’s but since then has had its ups and downs dependent on the cost of fossil fuels.
There is now a resurgence of the interest in Solar Power as the world tries to curb its carbon emissions and harness the free power available to us. It offers savings on our fossil fuel bills in the long run and is easy to install.
Energy from the sun is readily available and placing solar panels on a roof takes up no additional land space. Solar Power is used in many different ways including powering calculators, garden lighting, caravans, swimming pools and even experimental vehicles. In Australia these vehicles enter an annual race ‘The World Solar Challenge’.
There are two main principles of harnessing Solar Power, one by the use of photovoltaics to produce electricity and the other solar thermal water heating.
Photovoltaics can generate more electricity than is needed and there is then the option of selling power back to the grid. By 2005 the government had hoped to have at least 6000 roofs with Solar Panels but this is but a drop in the ocean compared with Germany at 140000 and Japan at 400000.. There are many commercial and private possibilities as the more popular this type of power becomes the cheaper the costs and ultimately saves on fossil fuels.
A 1Kw system covers a roof space of approximately 10 square meters and produces 750kWh over a year. There are grants available from many sources including the Low Carbon Building Programme, local grants and other national grants. You will need an invertor to change the Solar Power supply to AC power if connected to the grid.
Solar Thermal Hot Water literally is free hot water. The costs involved payback within 7-15 years and think of the saving to our world. This system needs plumbing/heating expertise. It uses the radiation from the sun to heat the panels which are usually mounted on the roof and can produce 40-60% of our hot water throughout the year. You may need an extra water cylinder installed dependent on your current hot water system.
Solar air heaters are also now available which heat the air and not water. They take in the external air, warm it and then blow out warm air throughout your house, powered entirely by the sun. The air is also dehumidified which provides dry warmed fresh air and ventilates as well.
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