Solar Water Heating System
Solar water heating (SWH) systems are a mature renewable energy technology which have been accepted in most countries for many years. SWH has been widely used in Israel, Australia, Japan, Austria and China. Now being introduced in many other countries. In a "close-coupled" SWH system the storage tank is horizontally mounted immediately above the solar collectors on the roof. No pumping is required as the hot water naturally rises into the tank through thermosiphon flow. In a "pump-circulated" system the storage tank is ground or floor mounted and is below the level of the collectors; a circulating pump moves water or heat transfer fluid between the tank and the collectors. Heating all water heating requirements including your pool.
Interesting Facts
In 1838, Edmund Becquerel was the first man to theorize about the possibility of turning sunlight into energy. His ideas were considered not worth pursuing.
Ever the innovator, Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics 1921 for his ground-breaking experiments with solar power and photovoltaics.
The largest wind turbine in the world, located in Hawaii, stands 20 storeys tall and has blades the length of a football pitch.
Solar Collectors transform short wavelengths into long wavelengths and trap this energy in the form of heat which is transferred and transported into a heat storage vault. Solar panels convert selected wavelengths of light into electricity.
In recent years manufacturing costs of photovoltaic cells has dropped by 3-5% per year while government subsidies have increased. While to some such facts about solar energy seem trivial, this makes solar energy an ever-more affordable energy source.
The energy output of a 1 KW solar energy unit is roughly equivalent to the burning of 170 pounds of coal and 300 pounds of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.
One wind turbine can produce enough electricity to power up to 300 homes.
A world record was set in 1990 when a solar-powered aircraft flew across the USA in 21 stages, using no fuel at all.
The facts about solar energy are not just about technology however. The facts of life include that the adoption of solar energy alone is not going to bring about a sustainable world. Without a greater warmth of positive human interaction it will still be a cold, and unsustainable, world.
Renewable energy sources are used from ancient history: In 200 B.C., people in China and the Middle East used windmills to pump water and grind grain. Also, old Romans were among the first to use geothermal energy to heat houses.
As renewable energy technology develops and fossil fuel prices increase solar energy becomes more affordable. And there are no crippling, rising importation costs of coal, oil or gas.
An average wind speed of 14mph is needed to convert wind energy into electricity.
There are five main forms of renewable energy: solar, wind, water, biofuel and geothermal (heat from the earth).
Renewable energy supplies will never run out. While the supplies of coal, oil, and natural gas are limited, sunshine, wind, biomass, and water power are considered almost limitless resources.
Every hour on the Earth's surface falls enough solar energy to meet world energy needs for an entire year. Our energy problems would be solved if we find a way to harvest that energy.
There are five main forms of renewable energy - solar, wind, water, biofuel and geothermal (heat from the earth)
That PV industry today is 10 times larger than 1998 and likely to grow by 50% annually in the coming years; solar power is on the verge of reaching cost parity with conventional energy sources
Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources - such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat - which are renewable (naturally replenished).
Perhaps the future is here now. Shell has predicted that 50% of the world's energy will come from renewable sources by 2040. Shell will also join in a massive renewable energy development project supported by the UAE. Several industrial heavyweights will join them: British Petroleum, Total, and Occidental Petroleum Corp, General Electric, Rolls Royce, Fiat and Mitsubishi.
The UN Development Index ranks Afghanistan 169 out of 174 poorest countries in the world.
The human use of solar energy is not new. The history of solar energy is rich. Building methods have for many centuries taken account of the sun’s movements in optimizing its warmth and light.