How many types of solar energy are there?
Solar energy is one of the types of energy that has high efficiency and does little damage to the environment. This energy has industrial and domestic uses. So choosing the right type is very important. In this article, the different types of solar energy are examined.
Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, solar architecture, molten salt power plants and artificial photosynthesis.
It is an essential source of renewable energy, and its technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on how they capture and distribute solar energy or convert it into solar power. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar power, and solar water heating to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light-dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.
Solar energy is the most abundant energy resource on earth -- 173,000 terawatts of solar energy strikes the Earth continuously. That's more than 10,000 times the world's total energy use.
A few years ago, the possibility of collecting solar energy from space and distributing it to the earth seemed like an idea that was light years away. Not anymore. Several countries including the US, China, Japan, India, and many countries in Europe are working on harnessing space-based solar power (SBSP) and are also building new technologies to facilitate it.
There are two main types of solar energy, depending on how they capture and distribute solar energy or convert it into solar power:
- Passive solar energy
- Active solar energy
Click here to read more about different Solar energy Types.
References:
https://www.wartsila.com/insights/article/space-based-solar-power-fact-or-fiction
https://www.energy.gov/articles/top-6-things-you-didnt-know-about-solar-energy
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