Smart Energy Living Start With Solar Power Panels
November 5th, 2008
One of the first images that come to mind when the topic of solar energy arises is the solar panel, typically portrayed as an oversized, reflective box parked on a rooftop waiting to catch the suns rays. This is changing rapidly as solar cell technology grows in leaps and bounds.
As with anything related to the sun there is going to be heat involved, this heat can also be collected and used to heat both your water and incoming air for your ventilation systems using solar power panels. Commonly known as a photovoltaic panel, or PV panel, solar power panels are lined with a semi-conductive material, typically silicon based that produces electricity when sunlight passes through it. This lining is called the solar cell. The electricity then travels through the conductive material into the electrical system that powers your home or business.
For many years solar power panels were restricted to large, boxy enclosures. Now, the development of solar cells has been opening up new ways of incorporating solar energy production for the home and at work. Solar cells may be integrated now into a large variety of building materials; such technology is generally known as Building Integrated Photovoltaics. Solar cells may now be incorporated into almost anything from roofing to the edges of glass window panes.
Solar cells that are integrated into roofing material will give the same protective qualities as traditional asphalt shingles, while simultaneously gathering energy from the sun. The same technology may also be used for exterior walls, windows, skylights, walkway coverings, awnings, and car ports, and it would appear that, every day, a new means of integrating solar power panels into regular building materials becomes available.
There are a variety of solar power panel assemblies that are mounted off of the building itself. The two most common are ground mounted or pole mounted fixtures. These features are valuable as they allow for optimal placement of the solar panels where they would receive the greatest exposure to the sun, thus allowing for greater flexibility in both building design and solar power system design. Although solar power panels will generate some power with indirect exposure to the suns rays, you will only generate the most efficient amount of solar power with direct exposure of the solar panel to full sunlight.
Ground mounted structures which are mounted typically to metal frames anchored into the ground with traditional construction methods, concrete footers etc. These frames can be built with motorized mounts for the solar power panels which would allow them to track or follow the sun throughout the day.
Pole mounted structures which are mounted either to the top or side of a metal pole can be constructed to allow the solar panels to track the suns path to receive the maximum amount of solar exposure throughout the day.
Tags: Alternative Energy Source Solar, Alternative Energy Systems, Making Water Alternative Energy, Alternative Energy Options, Alternative Energy Grant, Alternative Wind Energy Output
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