1. Solar
Energy
Presented by
Jennifer Worden, Tracy
Higginson, Roger Hicks

2. Solar Energy
Energy from the sun
Accounts for 99% of the earth’s renewable
energy resources
Sunlight that shines on the earth’s
surface
Used in two ways
Heat source
Energy source

3. The Problem
Expense of electricity and natural gas
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=12910

4. Solution
Go Green!
One hour of solar power can meet the
energy demand of the world for one year!

5. History
Popularity peaked in late 1970’s and
early 1980’s due to federal tax credits
and scare of national oil shortages

6. Benefits of Solar Energy
Convertibility to other forms of energy
Environmental
Homeland Security
Tax Benefits
Property Value

7. Environmental
Environmentally friendly
Energy conservation
Reduce use of fossil fuels
Reduce greenhouse emissions

8. Homeland Security
National security
Create more jobs
Economic development

9. Tax benefits
Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006
Federal energy tax credit
50% tax credit=$3/watt
• After-30%=$2/watt
State and local grant

10. Property Value
Home value increases $20 for every
dollar reduction
Provide free light and warmth
Reliable source of hot water
Save homeowners up to 50% of hot
water costs per year

11. Parts of the solar hot water
system

12. Collector panel
Most common
Consists of a flat sheet absorber or
envelope of blackened metal.
Panel absorbs the sunlight
Transfers the heat directly to the water
flowing through the panel

13. Transfer mechanism
Pump or a natural circulation/thermosiphon.
Uses the heated water/fluid in the collector
panel to produce a natural convection.
Place the cylinder below the panels
Pump has a control unit
Allows the pump to run only when the water
in the collector panel is hotter than the
storage tank

14. Storage cylinder/tank
Larger in a solar heating application than
in other systems
Reduces amounts of wasted energy

15. Active Systems
Involves controls and pumps
Collects significant amount of energy
High capital costs
Consists of:
Flat-plate collector
Rows of evacuated tubes
One or two storage tanks
Pump, valves, and back-up source of energy

16. Passive systems
Passive systems have no moving parts
Water circulates using natural convection
Water storage must be near the collector
Common in tropical
climates
Economical

17. Direct systems
Needs form of freeze protection to avoid
damage in freezing temperatures
Common system is Downdrain system
Water drains into the home’s sewer system
Simple system
Less prone to
malfunctions
Less expensive

18. Indirect systems
Collects solar energy in separate fluid
from the potable hot water
Must include a heat exchanger to transfer
the collected energy
Advantage is the collected fluid is used.

19. Cost and Savings
Save 50-80% on your hot water.

20. Construction
Little construction on the existing building
You will need:
Mounting brackets
Holes for wiring and pipes
Possibly an automatic tracking system
Completion of system can be installed in
as little as a day or up to a week.

21. Maintenance
Maintenance every 3-5 years
Average is once/year
Maintenance includes:
Checking seals and glazing for cracks
Check the supporting structure and roof for any cracks
and rust.
Check all pipes and wiring both inside and outside of
building
Check pressure relief valve
Do inspection of insulation, piping, and wiring
Clean the collector panels for unwanted sticks, leaves or
snow.

22. Conclusion
Solar is the energy of the future
Fossil fuels will eventually run out
Everyone can take steps to be more
environmentally conscious

23. Works Cited
Aldrich, Robb. Gayathri Vijaykumar, Cost, Design and Performance of solar Hot
Water in Cold Climate. Http://www.carb-swa.com/Preject/Articles/Solar.pdf.
Federal Incentives for Renewable and Efficiency. Financial Incentives. July 25,
2007.
Glime, Sally. NWTC Coordinator for Niagara Campus. Information on hot water
usage for Niagara Campus. November 27, 2007.
Harper, Gavin D.J. Solar Energy Projects for the Evil Genius. New York: McGraw
Hill, 2007.
Schaeffer, John. Real Goods Solar Living Source Book. British Columbia, Canada:
New Society Publishers, 2008.
Schlager, Neil, and Jayne Weisblatt. Alternative Energy, Volume 2. Detroit:
Thomson Gale, 2006.
Sun Earth Inc.Solar hot water heating technical Bulletin Volume 3. Flat Plate
Collectors Vs Evacuated Tubes – A Briefoverview.
United States Green Building Council. Green Schools Advocates Program. 5
October 2007. 1 November 2007.