Solar energy is a renewable resource that is environmentally friendly. Unlike fossil fuels, solar energy is available just about everywhere on earth. And this source of energy is free, immune to rising energy prices. Solar energy can be used in many ways - to provide heat, lighting, mechanical power and electricity. Think about the money you’ll save once you are off the energy grid.
SOLAR COLECTERS
Active solar systems use solar collectors and additional electricity to power pumps or fans to distribute the sun's energy. The heart of a solar collector is a black absorber which converts the sun's energy into heat. The heat is then transferred to another location for immediate heating or for storage for use later. The heat is transferred by circulating water, antifreeze or sometimes air. Applications for active solar energy include heating swimming pools, domestic hot water use, ventilation and industrial process air and water for commercial facilities such as laundries, car washes and fitness centers.
SOLAR ENERGY
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BY: CARSON COLE
DOMESTIC HOT WATER
Another common way to use the sun's heat is with the use of a solar domestic hot water system. Depending on how the system is used, a typical system will provide 50 to 75 per cent of a family's hot water needs. With water heating accounting for about 20 per cent of home energy use, a solar DHW system is an attractive method of reducing a home's fossil fuel consumption. A solar water heater typically uses glazed collectors mounted on a roof and connected to a storage tank. Fluid is pumped to the collectors where it is warmed by the sun, then returned to a heat exchanger where it heats the water in a storage tank. Year-round residences often will have a additional backup water heater. Modern solar water heaters are relatively easy to maintain and can pay for themselves with energy savings over their lifetime. Large, commercial systems can dramatically cut heating costs, making them ideal for businesses that use a great deal of hot water, such as restaurants, car washes, laundries and fitness centers.
CHOOSE SOLAR POWER Choose solar power and save your money on heating and electricity. Fell good that you are also saving the environment by choosing solar power. For further information contact the Solar Energy Society of Canada by E-mail: info@solarenergysociety.ca or by calling Tel: 613-533-2657 Fax: 613-533-6550 or you could go directly to their offices at McLaughlin Hall 406 Queen's University Kingston ON K7L 3N6 Canada
