Fossil energy resources are limited. The huge potential of using the unlimited energy generated by the solar radiation is world-wide available though.
Current and future developments in the field of solar technology are able to generate large parts of the required energy in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. To forward that, the expansion of alternative energy sources, like solar power, is also politically being supported.
The costs for a lot of goods and services are already increasing now because of the shortage on fossil commodities. That is revealing great chances for solar energy systems. Another reason is the high potential of these systems, which feature tremendous improvements in its developmental stage.
The term solar technology contains two possibilities of active usage of solar energy.
Solar heat:
In the field of solar heat the solar radiation is being used to warm up liquids in a cycle. This is being realized by the use of varying kinds of collectors, like for instance flat plate or evacuated tube solar collector. The storage heating tanks, fed by this energy, are then being able to be connected to the service water system or/and the solar backup heating.
Photovoltaic:
Photovoltaic is equally representing a section of solar technology, its name, by the way, is based on the ancient Greek word “phos” = light. The second part of the name is referring to Alessandro Volta and his unit for potential, volt.
Photovoltaic is using the direct and diffuse radiation of the sun to generate electricity with assistance of photovoltaic cells. In doing so, the sunlight is being transformed into electricity by silicon-based solar cells.
The origins of photovoltaic are going far back in history. Physicist Becquerel described the photoelectric effect in his works already in the year 1839. Nevertheless, the first photovoltaic systems, matured enough for usage, were firstly being developed in the late 20th century. In the end of the 1950s, the breakthrough succeeded through the key developments in the field of satellite technology and aerospace.
If the justification of the modules is made in a proper way, photovoltaic systems are reaching high lifetimes associated with a low need of maintenance and a high cost-effectiveness.