Researchers: Passive Solar Energy Could Provide ⅓ Of Home Heating Needs
Tapping into passive solar energy could be a step to carbon-free heating
Tapping into passive solar energy could be a step to carbon-free heating
Solar walls, glazed solar collectors, and so-called Trombe walls are all different types of passive solar heating technologies based around the use of materials meant to absorb solar radiation (generally, dark-colored materials since dark colors absorb the heat better) and thermal mass. The end goal is to provide space heating, and often ventilation as well.
Up to around ~80% of the heating energy needed for Finnish households could be met through the use of solar energy, depending upon the method of technical implementation, according to a new study from Aalto University.
Originally published on SolarLove.org. Eliminating the need for electricity or natural gas, solar heating and cooling technologies instead collect and use free, clean thermal energy from the sun. An economical alternative to solar photovoltaic (PV) systems that produce electricity to supply all of a property’s energy needs, solar heating and … [continued]
If you live in California, this is going to be easy. Californians already have a reputation for working to help out the environment (emissions laws are notorious, for example), and this next step seems like it fits in perfectly well: solar water heaters. […]
Finally, America agrees that something good for the environment is also good for the economy. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) released a new poll this week, which showed that a high percentage of Americans agree solar power is a pretty good deal all around. 74% of those polled saw solar power as not only green and clean, but also as helping to produce jobs and bolster the economy. In fact, it was seen as the energy source most deserving of U.S. government support.
Solar thermal technology provides space heating and hot water and is a frequently forgotten member of the solar family. These highly effective systems are popular in many parts of the globe, from China to Greece to Zimbabwe. They displace the use of the existing hot water heater and heating equipment, … [continued]