11 Applications of Solar Energy in your everyday life
11 Applications of solar energy for different purposes are introduced In this article.
In your opinion, to what extent is the use of energy from sunlight capable of providing the electricity you need and how much will it meet your daily needs? Maybe by reading this article, your opinion on solar energy applications will change!
How can solar energy technologies be applied in everyday life?
1-Solar heating
One of the applications of solar energy is heating houses and living spaces. Solar energy can be used to heat the house in two ways:
1-1- Solar water heating System
A whole house water heating system is a large version of the same type of solar system used as a water heater for faucets. Both use solar collector panels to heat water.
Water circulates and is heated through closed pipes in the collector panels. But instead of being stored in a relatively small tank for use in faucets, this hot water circulates through the piping networks of radiators and underfloor heating.
Larger systems usually serve both purposes: heating water for use in faucets as well as heating the entire home.
These systems are large-scale systems that use very large solar collector panels on the roof and complex tanks and water circulation technology.
Solar water heating systems are mostly used in commercial and industrial applications; But they are also a great option for residential use.
1-2- Solar Space Heating System
There are home and space heating systems that use air as a heat transfer medium instead of water or any other liquid.
These systems work by collecting air heated by the sun on the ceiling or wall on which they are installed and circulate it in the house; For example, the clay tiles on the roof of a house may have channels that allow heated air to circulate.
Homes that use solar space heating systems often have roofs or side surfaces designed to absorb heat. Many of these systems have some kind of circulation fan that distributes hot air in the house. These systems are often designed to heat single rooms.
2-Solar chargers
In today’s world, when mobile phones and tablets have become one of the main tools in our lives, charging batteries is one of the things that everyone needs, and the use of portable solar chargers can have many fans.
Read more about types of photovoltaic panels (PV panels).
3-Solar transportation
It is possible that in the future the use of solar vehicles from private cars to buses and trains and airplanes will become a common everyday occurrence, this idea is currently being investigated in some parts of the world.
Currently, in some vehicles, solar panels are used for air conditioning and keeping the interior of the car cool, which helps to reduce fuel consumption to a good extent.
Also, the first solar boat was built in 1975, until 1995 passenger boats with PV panels were used. Currently, these boats are widely used.
4-Applications of solar energy in agriculture
Solar energy is very important in growing plants. Sunlight is an abundant resource, but it is not always available, and this has made farmers think about the optimal use of this energy.
For example, French and English farmers used fruit walls to maximize solar energy collection during the frosty seasons of the year. These walls act as thermal masses that increase the rate of maturation of plants by keeping them warm.
At first, these walls were built perpendicular to the ground and facing south, but over time, they used sloping walls for more efficiency.
Other applications of solar energy in agriculture include water pumping, crop drying, and poultry manure drying.
In greenhouses, the sunlight is converted into heat and makes it possible for crops and plants to grow in closed environments all year round.
Find out more about Solar Water Pumps.
5-solar desalination system
The heat received from the sun causes the salt water to evaporate and its salts remain. Then, by using different methods, the evaporated water can be distilled and fresh water can be prepared in this way.
With this method, it is possible to provide the required sanitary water in places that do not have access to fresh water, such as some islands. Solar water softeners are made in both domestic and industrial sizes. Solar water desalination can be used on a large scale to supply drinking water to cities.
6-Solar dryer
Drying means taking part of the water in food and other products, which increases the shelf life of the product and prevents the growth of bacteria.
In solar dryers, solar energy is used directly or indirectly to dry the materials, and the air flows naturally or forcibly, which accelerates the drying process of the product. Solar dryers are designed and manufactured in different sizes and designs for different products and uses.
7-Cooking with solar energy
7-Cooking with solar energy
One of the most recent applications of solar energy is the use of solar panels or solar ovens to supply the energy needed in camping, barbecuing, traveling and other activities. Although this may be a new and possibly unfamiliar idea, cooking with solar energy is much easier than you think!
Using a box, a pan, an aluminum foil, a cooking bag, an adhesive tape, a polystyrene insulation and a thermometer, you will have a small and mobile kitchen in the shortest possible time.
The essence and purpose of making a solar oven is to make a container that is covered with foil or other shiny material and concentrates the sun’s rays into a cooking chamber. If you are a camper and this application of solar energy is attractive to you, it is better to know that dozens of designs and ideas for making solar ovens are available on the Internet that you can use.
Sources: yourarticlelibrary.com
