Solar Heating

Many methods have been developed to harness the sun’s energy. Three such applications involve: making electricity, heating a liquid, and heating air. It is more efficient to heat air or water directly with the sun than to convert sunlight to electricity and then use it to heat air and water.

Applications for the efficient use of solar energy vary greatly, however the three primary categories are: heating/cooling, electricity production, and chemical processes. The most widely used applications are for water and space heating. The applications for photovoltaics and concentrating solar thermal-electric technologies to produce electricity have increased dramatically in popularity. Recent advances in solar detoxification technologies for purifying water and air give way to these applications being competitive with conventional technologies.

Solar Energy Advantages

• Solar energy has the following advantages over conventional energy:
• After the initial cost has been recovered, the energy from the sun is virtually free
• Depending on the utilization of energy, paybacks can be very short when compared to the cost of common energy sources used.
• Solar and other renewable energy systems can be off-grid, requiring no connection to conventional power options.
• Solar energy (The Sun) provides an unlimited power supply.
• Green house gas emissions are drastically reduced as opposed to current energy sources.
• The solar energy market is virtually limitless.