Solar energy is a renewable and non-polluting energy source derived from sunlight, utilized through solar thermal and solar electric routes for various applications, including water heating and electricity production. Solar systems can be passive or active, involving different methods of energy collection, storage, and distribution. Despite its benefits, solar energy has limitations like intermittence and dependence on weather conditions, making energy storage crucial.

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2. What is Solar Energy ?
Solar energy is radiant light and
heat from the sun.
It is the most important source of
renewable energy.
It is available free of cost and absolutely
non-polluting.

3. Utilization of Solar Energy
Solar energy can be utilized through two different
routes, as solar thermal route and solar electric
route.
Solar thermal route uses the sun’s heat energy to
produce hot water or air, cook food, drying
materials etc.
Solar electric route uses the sun’s light energy to
produce electricity for lightning home and buildings
and running electric appliances.

4. Applications of Solar Energy
Thermal energy:
Water heating
Space heating, cooling
and ventilation
Cooking
Process heating
Water treatment
Electricity Production:
Photo Voltaic
Concentrated solar
power

5. Water Heating
Solar water heating systems use sunlight to heat
water. Most solar heating systems have two main
parts Solar collector and Water tank

6. A solar collector collect or absorb the heat from
solar radiations on a surface called absorber and
transfer to the water through water tubes run
through the collector box.
Solar Collector

7. An insulated storage tank hold the water. It is
similar to water heater but large in size.
Tank

8. Space Heating, Cooling
Space heating system can be classified as
Passive system
Active system
Space Heating

9. In passive system all three functions of collection,
storage and distribution of solar energy is done by
natural means.
In active system the solar energy is collected by
water or air. This energy is then stored in storage
materials either in form of sensible heat or latent
heat or in chemical reactions. Then the stored
energy in storage system is distributed into the
space using electrically operated pumps and fans.

10. A solar chimney is passive solar ventilation system
composed of a vertical shaft connecting the interior
and exterior of a building. As the chimney warms,
the inside is heated causing an updraft that pulls air
through the building.
Solar ventilation

11. Cooking
Solar cookers use sunlight for cooking, drying and
pasteurization.
Solar cookers can be grouped into three broad
categories,
Box Cooker
Panel Cooker
Reflector Cooker

12. A basic box cooker consists of an insulated
container with a transparent lid. It can be used
effectively with partially overcast skies and will
typically reach temperatures of 90-150 ˚C
Box cooker

13. Panel cookers use a reflective panel to direct
sunlight onto a insulated container and reach
temperatures comparable to box cooker.
Panel cooker

14. Reflector cooker use various concentrating
geometries to focus light on a cooking container.
These cookers reach temperature of 315 ˚C and
above but require direct light to function properly.
Reflector cooker

15. Process heating
Solar concentrating technologies such as
parabolic dish, trough and scheffler reflectors can
provide process heat for commercial and
industrial applications.
Trough reflectors
Scheffler
reflectors

16. The use of evaporation ponds to obtain salt from
sea water is one of the oldest application of solar
energy.
Evaporation ponds

17. Modern uses include concentrating brine
solutions used in leach mining and removing
dissolved solids from waste streams.
Leach mining

18. Water treatment
Solar distillation can be used to make saline or
brackish water potable.
Water distillation

19. Solar water disinfection involves exposing water
filled plastic bottles to sunlight for several hours.
Exposure times vary depending on weather and
climate from a minimum of six hour to two days.
Water disinfection

20. Solar energy may be used in a water stabilization
pond to treat waste water without chemicals or
electricity.
Water stabilization
pond

21. Electricity production
Sunlight is converted in to electricity either directly
using photo voltaic or indirectly using
concentrated solar power.
Photo voltaic converts sunlight into electric
current using the photo electric effect.
CSP systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking
system to focus a large area of sunlight into a
small beam.

22. In solar photo voltaic system solar energy is
converted to electric power using solar cell or
solar panels.
Solar cell is a device that converts light directly
into electricity using photoelectric effect.
Solar cell

23. One cell produces about 1.5 watts of power.
Individual cells are connected together to form a
solar panel or module capable of producing 3 to
110 watts power. Panels can be connected
together in series or parallel to make an array.
Solar panel

24. Concentrating solar power systems use lenses or
mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area
of sunlight into a small beam. The concentrated
heat is then used as a heat source for a
conventional power plant.
Concentrated
solar power

25. Energy storage methods
Thermal mass systems can store solar energy in
the form of heat at domestically useful
temperature for daily or inter-seasonal durations.
Thermal mass

26. Phase change materials such as paraffin wax and
glauber’s salt are another thermal storage
medium.
Paraffin wax Glauber’s salt

27. Solar energy can also be stored at high
temperatures using molten salts.
Molten salt

28. Photo voltaic systems use rechargeable batteries
to stores excess electricity.
Batteries

29. Advantages of solar energy
It is available in abundance.
It has low operating and maintenance cost.
It is renewable and inexhaustible form of energy.
It is free from pollution.
Many options are available for utilization of solar
energy depending on its applications.

30. Limitations of solar energy
It is intermittent source of energy since it is not
available at night.
The intensity of radiation is weather dependent.
The average power obtainable is only 1 kW per
m2 area in hottest regions. Therefore large
collection area is required.

31. The requirement of energy storage devices are
heavy in order to cater the energy during the
hours of non availability of solar energy.
Standby power arrangements are necessary
during unexpected long periods of non sunshine
hours.

32. In spite of having various limitations
the solar energy provides a vast
potential for use as an alternate
source of energy.

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