Introductioin to Solar Power

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Solar powered energy is the conversion of light from the sun into electricity, either directly by the use of photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly by making use of concentrated solar power (CSP). CSP systems use a mirror or lense system and tracking systems to focus a large area of light into a small beam. PV transforms light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.

Larger scale CSP plants were first developed around 30 years ago, and the 354 MW SEGS CSP installation is the largest solar power plant known to man and can be found in the Mojave Desert of California, in America. Other huge CSP plants would also include the Solnova Solar Power Station (150 MW) and also the Andasol solar power station (100 MW), both of which are in Spain, Europe.. The 97 MW Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant in Canada, is the world’s greatest PV (photovoltaic) plant.

Despite Scotland’s relatively low level of sunshine hours, solar thermal panels can work effectively as they are capable of producing hot water even in cloudy weather.

Solar panel technology was first developed in the Seventies and is now well-established ,with numerous installers based up and down Scotland, and the UK in general, although AES Solar based in Forres (who provided the panels for the Scottish Parliament building) are Scotland’s only manufacturer.

Since the introduction of government grants for solar panels and Feed-in tariffs there has been a growth in the volume of installed PV panels, which generate electricity. Back in 2004, the largest Scottish based installation was a 21 kWp system at the Sir E. Scott secondary school in Tarbert, Isle of Harris although bigger systems have been created since then. The UK’s practicable resource is estimated at 7.2 TWh per annum, which in the Scottish context is the approximate equivalent of 70 MW or less of installed capacity.

The “road energy system” uses water pipes buried beneath a layer of tarmac. In the summer, the dark asphalt is heated by the sun which in turn heats the water in the pipes. This water can be stored in an underground aquifer and the heat extracted in winter using a heat pump. The system can be used to warm or cool down roads, keeping them ice-free and/or preventing softening due to overheating. Or, if required, the stored energy can be used for cooling buildings.

IDES Energy Solutions are the leading installers of solar panels in Scotland and have a complete info and fitting service from solar panel FAQ’s to home energy efficiency systems.