Solar Energy

To calculate how many panels required for vacation home

http://www.freesunpower.com/system_sizing.php

Solar Energy - the energy generated by the sun.

Solar energy in history

3rd Century BCEArchimedes is said to have used the sun's rays reflected from mirrors to set fire to an invading Roman fleet.

John Ericsson, designer of the ironclad warship Monitor, built an engine that was powered by the sun's energy.

Solar heat supplies energy for a variety of uses

Fruit, vegetables, flowers

Salt

Water heaterSolar furnace

Photovoltaic, or Solar, CellsThe cells are made of a semiconductor material, usually silicon. A solar battery consists of an collection of solar cells connected together to generate electric power.

What does a solar panel look like?

How does it work?

Two types of solar power

How do you use solar energy to power your home?Use the internet to research the following website …. (read the first 5 pages, but take notes from pg 6)

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/solar-cell.htm

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ article.cfm?id=how-does-solar-power-work

http://www.freesunpower.com/system_sizing.php

To calculate how many solar panels you will require for your vacation home, click on the website and enter your estimated use of energy.

How do you use solar energy to power your home?Get some ideas from the ZeroHouse project

http://home.howstuffworks.com/zero-house.htm