Solar Power - Part 1

We have all heard of Solar power, but what is it, how does it work, and why use it?

Solar is defined as; derived from or related to the sun or utilizing the energies of the sun. Therefore, anything that manages to harness the power of the sun may be called Solar Power.

The 3 Main Types of Solar Power

There are 3 main types of solar energy systems:

1. Solar Water Heating.
2. Solar Cells (Photovoltaic).
3. Solar Concentrator Systems.

The first two types are commonly used for household and general business installations, whereas the last (Solar Concentrator Systems) is for large industrial, or solar energy farms and solar power station applications. A brief explanation of each:

1. Solar Water Heating.

Solar water heating in its simplist form is a flat coated metal panel, insulated underneath and with pipes containing water lying on the surface. As the panel heats from the sun, so does the water held in the pipes. The water is circulated over the panels, and back into the buildings hot water system.

A more advanced (and therefore more expensive) system uses very well insulated evacuated glass tubes. The collector plate is held within the tubes vaccum, and so heat loss is virtually eliminated due to the vaccum and insulation.

In the UK, it is estimated that you can save about 50% of all water heating bills. Both of these types of panel are suitable for home use, and are also available in the UK. This type of system is also great for underfloor heating, general water heating, or even to heat a swimming pool, which is something to consider.


2. Solar Cells

Usually referred to as Photovoltaic cells/panels (PV), which are composed of specially formulated cells that produce an electric current when light falls upon them. These are the same technology that a solar powered calculator uses for power, only on a larger scale.

The majority of pv solar panels are silicon based, although other materials have or are being used, especially as research and development in this area progresses. Recently scientists have discovered how to acheive similar results using a type of plastic composite which is also able to use the infra-red spectrum, previously not within the ability of existing panels, and thereby making them even more efficient than many current designs.

All of this development means that the overall cost of an installation is rapidly decreasing, especially as demand increases allowing photovoltaic panels to be used for far more projects, including domestic use.


3. Solar Concentrator Systems

Concentrator systems are generally commercial installations or for large solar electrical generators.

This site is primarily concerned with houses and domestic systems, so for anyone interested in what these are, and how they work can follow this link to read all about Concentrating Solar Power.


The UK recieves a vast amount of radiation from the sun over the course of a year, this means that even somewhere as weather challenged as the UK is able to benefit enormously from using either type of solar energy system stated above.

Next ... part 2 - domestic installations, diagrams, selling or storing your excess power.