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Solar Power Applications Several kinds of very practical solar energy systems are in use today. The two most common are passive solar heated homes (or small buildings), and small stand-alone photovoltaic (solar electric) systems. These two applications of solar energy have proven themselves popular over a decade of use. They also illustrate the two basic methods of harnessing solar energy: solar thermal systems, and solar electric systems. The solar thermal systems convert the radiant energy of the sun into heat, and then use that heat energy as desired. The solar electric systems convert the radiant energy of the sun directly into electrical energy, which can then be used as most electrical energy is used today. Some effective solar energy systems are: domestic water heating systems, remote solar powered water pumping systems, and remote electric power systems for radio repeaters. Of course, most of our spacecraft use solar power for their instrumentation and communication. The Mir Cooperative Solar Array Program is one example. Solar power is now being used widely around the world, even in remote areas, for pumping water, drying crops and lighting. Dramatic leaps in the application of solar technology are being made in architectural and engineering work using large, custom-made photovoltaic panels as walls, atriums and skylights to generate power in new buildings. The technique has been in used in Europe and Japan and is attracting worldwide. Germans have perfected the design of a huge shoebox-like generating container made of photovoltaics. Inside the container are nine buildings receiving solar power. And the Japanese have built a high-rise with a photovoltaic outer skin. Endless applications of this engineering are on the horizon. They include solar panels on open space at major airports to power airfield systems; median strips converted to solar generators along roads and highways; panels on railroad-rights-of-way. Any flat surface that can collect sunlight will do. Several applications of solar energy are now being tested, and may be used in the near future. Some of these are: large scale photovoltaic systems supplying power to the electric utility grid and solar thermal electric power systems to supply power to the utility grid (power tower systems). |
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