| We all know that Electricity has been here since the | | | | of solar panels can be combined and interlinked for |
| early 1900's. When it started, there wasn't much | | | | greater power Solar energy excites the electrons in |
| demand for it, First of all, because most people didn't | | | | the solar cell and electricity is produced. |
| have it in their houses, secondly, the only use for it was | | | | This electricity is in the form of direct current or DC . |
| for light bulbs. Then came heaters, stoves, and then | | | | DC however is not useable for most common |
| followed by electric appliances and everything else | | | | purposes. |
| that work with electricity. well, I guess you know the | | | | So, next DC power is transformed through an inverter |
| story. I don't need to tell you what works with | | | | to alternating current, or AC at 120 Volt, a |
| electricity. | | | | common-use voltage. |
| Today the demand is so strong for electricity, we | | | | As you can see, this is how you can use the sun's light |
| have to find other ways how to produce it. Did you | | | | to create electricity. There's also another way you can |
| know that Canada is the number one producer of | | | | heat your house or your swimming pool, and it's call |
| electricity in the world? United States have to buy | | | | solar thermal Technologies. |
| energy from Canada, because the demand is to | | | | Solar thermal technologies (also known as active solar |
| strong, in fact California is one of the states who buy's | | | | systems) involve the conversion of solar radiation into |
| the most electricity from Canada. In the 70s, an hydro | | | | heat and include the use of pumps or fans to actively |
| electric plan was build in the north of the province of | | | | transfer the heat to storage or for distribution directly |
| Quebec to produce power, thinking that this power | | | | to its intended use. The key component of any active |
| plan would be enough for the next generation to come. | | | | solar system is the solar collector, which absorbs the |
| Because population is growing so fast in North | | | | sun's radiant energy and transforms it into usable heat. |
| America, Canada had to build 3 more power plan. The | | | | Various types of collectors are used in solar energy |
| problem is not building power plan! The problem is, you | | | | conversion, depending on the application and |
| need water, lots of water to make the turbines turn, | | | | temperature requirements: |
| and when you build power plan you have to flood the | | | | Unglazed metal and plastic flat plate collectors are |
| territory, raise the level of the water, that mean kill | | | | used for low temperature applications such as |
| everything that lives around. | | | | residential pool heating and ventilation air heating for |
| I ear everyday, on TV, newspapers,magazines, that | | | | commercial and industrial building . Glazed flat plate and |
| we have to save the planet. Did you know there's | | | | vacuum tube collectors are used for mid-range |
| areas in this world who don't have Power, they don't | | | | temperature applications such as domestic hot water |
| even know it exist, but on the other part of the world | | | | and space heating and cooling applications. |
| we as humans are wasting it. There is an alternative | | | | Concentrating collectors that focus the sunlight onto a |
| to this problem, and a good one. We have it on the top | | | | much smaller area are used for higher temperature |
| of our head everyday. It Is Called Solar Energy. | | | | applications such as industrial process heat, absorption |
| Solar cells, or photovoltaic cells are often silicon-based | | | | cooling, and large-scale solar thermal power |
| pieces of material that absorb the sun's light. Not | | | | applications to generate steam for electricity |
| warmth, as in the thermal application Many of these | | | | generation. |
| solar cells are often combined in solar panels Numbers | | | | |