SOLAR ENERGY
Future of Solar Energy
Steckborn, Switzerland. A tower clock using solar cells
The success of solar power will depend on the answer to the following question: ‘What do you do when the sun goes down?’
The simple answer is to build an auxiliary system that will store energy when the sun is out.. However, the problem is that such storage systems are unavailable today. Simple systems, like water pipes surrounded by vacuum, do exist. It is based on the concept that provided the pipes are insulated, the water will store thermal energy.
The ocean is a natural reservoir of solar power and could be used as a source for thermal energy. If we can draw warm water from the surface and cold water from the depths, an ocean thermal plant could operate 24 hours a day. George Claude tested this hypothesis as early as 1930 in Cuba. Cold water from the pipe and warm water from the surface were pumped into a plant on shore. It produced 22KW when the water temperatures were optimum and 12KW when seasonal current fluctuation reduced the efficiency.
Posted under World News
This post was written by techhair on August 19, 2008
energy for many reasons. Everyday the price of traditional energy goes up, with no sign of stopping. Financial concerns are coupled with the non-renewable nature of traditional energy sources has people looking for viable alternatives.
