Solar power

At present, the production of power from solar energy is not a significant contributor in electricity generation. However, this technology has attracted attention as a potential alternative for future energy production. This is discussed in Chapter 15. 

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Solar evaporation Solarization Solar panels Solar ponds Solar power systems Solar radiation Solar salt... 

P. E. Glaser, Solar-Power Satellites The Emerging Energy Option, Ellis Howard, New York, 1993. 

Space Reactors. Two quite different appHcations of reactors ia space have been studied one for electrical power of a spacecraft mission, and the other for propulsion of spacecraft. Both appHcations are for long missions where solar power is iaadequate or chemical propulsion is impractical (72,73). 

A photovoltaic (PV) solar power system is a complete electrical source that uses solar cells to directly convert light energy into electricity. The system can be self-contained and completely autonomous or it can work in tandem with other conventional fuel-based sources of power to offer robust power availabihty. 

Perhaps the most familiar example in the specialty items category is the consumer electronics market which consists primarily of solar-powered calculators and watches. Although volumes are large in terms of units sold, the revenues are relatively small. Further, the competition is fierce for any photovoltaics manufacturer who seeks to sell commodity solar cells to the consumer goods producer. 

As emphasized by Postel and co-workers (9), only freshwater flowing through the solar-powered hydrological cycle is renewable (Fig. 7). 

Zweibel, K. (1990) Harnessing Solar Power The Photovoltaics Challenge (Plenum Press, New York). 

Diesel began work on an economical engine as early as 1880. The following year he took out his first patents—for machines to make clear ice. Throughout the remainder of the decade he worked on an ammonia vapor engine and (less rigorously) on a solar-powered engine. In 1889 he moved to Berlin to work as Linde s representative there. In... 

Reduction of overall energy use is one solution to the above problems. It requires money, technical advances, political power, and courage some reduction has been achieved, but much more is needed to reduce emissions of gases. One solution being advanced is use of processes to produce energy that do not emit gases. Hydropower has been exploited about as fully as possible, and supplies only a small fraction of total energy needs. Other sources such as wind and solar power are still much too expensive. 

The operation ol a solar-powered printing press. Experiment conducting in the Garden of Tuileries, Paris, on Aug 6, 1882, lor the festh al of "L Union Francaises of Jeuenesse." (Corbis Corporation)... 

Buckminster Fuller stands in front of a solar-powered geodesic dome house. lAPAA/ide World Photos)... 

Solar power works well m small tacilities, and it may be comparatively cost-effective when all tactors (transmission, fuel transportation costs, seivice lite, etc.) are taken into consideration. In many instances solar energy is the only viable energy option in the region. 

Solar power is environmentally friendly and will help mitigate global environmental concerns associated with climate change. 

Smith, C. (1995). Revisiting Solar Power s Past. Tech-nol-ogy Review 98(5) 38 7. 

To generate electricity for homes and businesses, research Stirling generators fueled by either solar energy or natural gas have been tested. They run on solar power when the sun is shining and automatically convert to clean burning natural gas at night or when the weather is cloudy. 

Government efforts to promote solar power and wind have failed to date to produce substantial results. World data for 1997 indicate that only 0.41 percent of consumption was geothermal, solar, or wind 0.39 percent was geothermal and the others accounted for 0.02 percent. The 1999 U.S. percents are 0.06 geothermal, 0.04 solar, and 0.02 wind. 

Solar Power With improved technology and production methods considerable use is being made of solar power in remote locations. The output of photovoltaic arrays is used to maintain conventional storage batteries in a state of charge. The cathodic protection system is in turn energised from the batteries. It is usual to incorporate sufficient battery storage to accommodate a number of no-sun days. Whilst in theory the capacity of equipment is unlimited, a practical maximum would be ca. SOO W. 

Bolton JR (1977) Solar power and fuel. Academic, New York... 

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