What is solar?

When we do this SIA, the initial concept we What is Solar Energy?
Solar energy is the mother of most renewable energies on earth. The sun powers natural cycles on earth like the wind, water flow and plant growth.
But the sun is also such a reliable source of heat and light that we sometimes take it for granted. Generations have used glass and other materials and structures to capture and magnify the sun’s energy and these systems have gradually evolved to form the basis of mature techniques that are used today to harness solar energy.
There are 3 basic approaches used today to gain maximum benefit of solar energy in buildings:
Passive Solar
Active Solar Heating
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
Passive Solar
Passive Solar Architecture is a building design approach which seeks to:
maximize solar gains in the building (through good orientation and layout, and glazing);
avoid heat losses through ensuring a high level of insulation and air-tightness of the building;
ensure a high degree of comfort by using controlled ventilation and daylighting.
Anyone building a new house or refurbishing extensively an existing house should apply passive solar principles, and reduce their heating requirement by up to 80% at no or little extra-cost.
Today, the most advance form of passive solar design has been translated into the Passive House standard. For more information, go to http://www.passiv.de/.
Download Passive Solar Design – Solar Homes Catch the Sun Download A Buyers’ Guide to Low Energy and Passive HousesDownload Passive homes - Guidelines For The Design And Construction Of Passive House Dwellings In Ireland
Active Solar Heating
Active Solar Heating is one of the primary ways for buildings to use solar energy. This technology uses solar collectors to transform sunlight into heat to provide space and/or water heating. Solar water heating is the most common application of active solar thermal in Europe. A correctly sized solar water heating system can cover 50-60% of your hot water heating requirement with free solar energy.
A solar thermal system providing space and water heating is generally referred to as a solar combisystem. It is generally sized to cover 30 to 40% of the annual heating requirement of a house in Northern Europe. In Ireland, a solar combisystem using air as a heat transfer medium is gaining in popularity. It has the advantage of combining solar heating and ventilation through the same system. It is particularly suitable for low-energy houses.
By 2005, over 3,000 households used a solar heating system in Ireland, compared to about 5 million households in Europe.
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
‘Photovoltaic’ means electricity from light. In essence, photovoltaic systems use daylight (not necessarily direct sunlight) to convert solar radiation into electricity. The light which shines on the PV cells creates an electric field causing electricity to flow. The greater the intensity of the light, the greater the flow of electricity.
Photovoltaic systems use semiconductor materials to convert solar energy into electricity. This technology is widely used in consumer products such as solar calculators, watches or garden lights, and is increasingly used as a cost-effective solution in Ireland for stand-alone applications where a grid connection is too expensive (e.g. parking meters, caravans or remote holiday homes).
Solar PV can also be used to provide free solar electricity to houses as well as for commercial and industrial applications. Recent developments in regulation mean that it will shortly be possible to connect solar PV systems to the grid, opening up a new era for solar PV in Ireland.should understand is the definition of solar.