Additional Uses

Solar energy can also be used to provide hot water and/or supplemental heat. To provide solar hot water for buildings, the system must have two parts: a solar collector and a storage tank. The solar collector is usually referred to as a flat-plate collector, which is typically mounted on a roof although vacuum tube designs are gaining popularity. The water that is to be heated is carried through tubes that pass through the solar collector. The heat that is collected in the black solar panel or vacuum tube element passes to the water in the pipes which is then carried to the storage tank. A modified water heater can be used for this, but typically the storage tank will be larger and better insulated. The water can be moved through the tubes actively by use of a pump or passively using gravity and the natural motion of water when it is heated.

Reducing Energy Usage

Solar energy can be harnessed to provide supplemental heat and hot water to residential and commercial building and to reduce the large amount of energy needed to heat the air used in ventilation systems. Preheating air can be accomplished through a thin, black metal panel called a transpired collector placed on the south wall of a building allowing the most exposure to the sun. This panel contains many tiny holes in which air can pass through. In a space behind the panel, the air that has passed through can mix together and become heated from the sun’s absorbed energy. This heated air is sucked out of the space behind the panel and into the ventilation system of the building.