Types of Solar Energy

Currently, solar energy is used in common applications including:

• Electricity Production (Photovoltaic or PV Technology)
• Water Heating (Solar Thermal or Flat Plate Technology)
  
  

  SOLAR PV
  PHOTOVOLTAIC TECHNOLOGY

Photovoltaic (PV) cells utilizes semiconductor technology to convert solar radiation directly into an electric current which can be used immediately or stored for future use. PV cells are often grouped in the form of “modules” to produce arrays which have the capability to produce power for orbiting satellites and other spacecraft. Recently, with the continual decline of manufacturing costs (declining 3% to 5% per year in recent years), uses of PV technology have grown to include home power generation, and grid-connected electricity generation. Installations of PV systems have also been increasing due in large part to comprehensive incentive programs which help reduce the costs of these systems and also allows users to sell excess electricity back to the public grid (feed-in).

SOLAR THERMAL EVACUATED TUBE TECHNOLOGY vs. FLAT PLATE SOLAR COLLECTORS

Flat-Plate solar collectors – durable, weatherproof boxes which contain a dark absorber plate located under a transparent cover – are still the most common type of collector used for water heating in many countries despite being inferior to evacuated tube collectors in many ways.

Evacuated heat pipe tubes are designed such that convection and heat loss are eliminated, where as Flat-plate solar panels contain an air gap between absorber and cover plate which allows heat loss to occur. Further, thermal heat pipe systems are capable of limiting the maximum working temperature, where as Flat-plate systems have no internal method of limiting heat buildup which can cause system failure. Finally, evacuated heat pipe systems are lightweight, easy to install and require minimal maintenance. Flat-plate systems, on the other hand, are difficult to install and maintain, and must be completely replaced should one part of the system stop working.

Solar thermal technology from Solar Panels Plus utilizes evacuated-tube technology (above) to covert solar radiation into usable energy for producing hot water for residential and commercial applications, space heating and even space cooling through the use of absorption chilling technology.

Below is a diagram and image of a flat plate collector.