Posted Friday, September 21, 2018

The Most Common Uses of Solar Power

Today, there are so many different technologies and gadgets available to home and business owners that it can be confusing when it comes to trying to figure out what solar power can be used for. The most common question many ask is “how or what is solar energy used for?” From powering transportation that’s renewable or just charging a speaker that’s wireless, the list of examples of solar power usage is nearly endless. Because of this, many homeowners and business owners are left wondering just how far they might be able to go with solar power.

What is Solar Power Used For?

This is probably the most common question asked by everyone. To begin with, this kind of power takes captured sunlight to help create PV or photovoltaic power or CSP otherwise known as concentrated solar power which is used for solar heating. This type of conversion lets the sun’s energy to be used to for powering automotive products, swimming pools, lighting, heaters, and other technological gadgets. In truth, solar power can pretty much provide energy for just about anything and everything.

For homeowners and businesses they can pretty much use it to power all the items they use on a daily basis and can easily switch to this kind of technology with the help of companies such as the Urban Solar.

Using Photovoltaic Energy for Transportation

One key way people are starting to use the power of the sun is through transportation which is powered by PV energy. PV energy can be used for buses, planes, railroads, subways, cars, and yes, even on roads. In fact, solar transit is starting to become a very popular type of energy with the renewable energy section of society.

Solar Impulse 2 is a solar-powered plane that flew around the world and impressed many people who are interested in utilizing the power of the sun. Solar buses can be found in China and it’s a good step for China to reduce their carbon footprint and it’s an efficient mass transit system that is working well in highly populated cities in China such as Beijing. As we all know, electric cars are a big thing now, and those that are solar powered are starting to make an impact, especially in Australia who produced the SolarSpirit. There is no question that solar energy is starting to transform transportation all over the world.

Using the Sun’s Power for Electronics

Solar power being used in a variety of consumer products is becoming quite common in the world today. As we begin to move away from fossil fuels and look for other sources of energy, many electronics that we use are being powered by solar. The goal is to reinvent how we look at our power usage. This is why there are many products on the market today that use solar energy. Below is just a few that have moved to solar:

• Cell phones
• Music speakers
• Watches
• Air conditioning
• Tablets
• Thermostats
• Dryers
• Visor radios
• Mini-Fridges and Freezers
• Rechargeable flashlights

Outdoor Lighting: Good Example of Solar Energy

One of the most common and easiest ways to improve your home or business efficiency is to include outdoor lighting powered by the sun. This type of lighting doesn’t require any complicated setup because the lights are wireless and they gather the energy during the day and then display the light at night. Even though this lighting isn’t quite as common as panels you see on homes and businesses, they are quickly starting to join energy items such as LED bulbs and smart home thermostats. They are inexpensive and can lower your electric bills and improve your energy efficiency.

PV for Thermal Energy

Many business and homeowners are not truly aware of the fact that they can warm their homes and businesses with water heaters powered by the sun as well as space heaters. These are very effective and they don’t require a large amount of money to have them implemented.

These heating sources can be active or passive. Passive systems use natural circulation and active systems use pumps to circulate water and generate heat. Those who install thermal solar arrays on their roofs should expect about a 10 percent return with a system that costs much less than full solar panel installations.

This type of energy has a huge benefit when it comes to those who have pools because the pools can be heated with a much more cost-effective rate than the alternatives like gas or oil heating pumps. Pools heated with solar heat simply uses a solar collector that takes energy from the sun and then converts that into heat. It then draws water through the collector and heats the water as it goes through the collector.

Rooftop Solar Energy

This, of course, is the most common solar energy system. However, with all the cool gadgets coming out that use solar, solar rooftops for homes and businesses sometimes get overlooked. One must not forget just how important this type of energy is and how it can save both business owners and homeowners thousands of dollars each year because it cuts down on their energy use, utility bills, and carbon footprints.

If you are seriously considering switching over totally to solar energy or just partially, then contact Urban Solar so you can receive your free energy analysis now. We can give you all the information that you need and how much money you can save by moving over to solar. Contact us today!