Time to Shine: Applications of Solar Energy Technology [Hardcover]

The perfect primer for the engineer, scientist, and layperson alike to learn about the practical applications of solar energy technology and how it is being used today, all over the world.

Solar energy heats our homes, lights our city streets, and provides power worldwide. As solar energy becomes increasingly more important in all of our lives, it becomes increasingly more important to learn how it works and how it can be implemented.

Solar energy has been the new energy for a long time. As this technology becomes a larger and larger piece of the energy spectrum, it is increasingly important for engineers, scientists, managers, and other decision-makers to understand solar energy technology and its applications. This book, written in easy-to-understand language, with plentiful color photos and illustrations, is the perfect primer on solar energy for anyone working in the energy industry or anyone who wants to learn more about solar energy technology.

With a focus on its current uses, including developing countries, this book shows examples of actual and potential uses of solar energy. It presents an original view of solar energy technology, as well as tools for the understanding of consequences of energy-related decisions. Parts of this book draw to a large extent on the work of the Synopsis Institute in Lod?ve, France, a leading research and development firm in the area of solar energy technology and its practical uses in our everyday lives.

Summary ix

About this book xi

Terminology xiii

Introduction: Solar Energy xv

The Incoming Solar Radiation 1

The Availability and Power Density Issue - Fossil vs. Solar Energy 3

The Need for Tracking 4

The Basic Solar Energy Heat Transfers 7