Green Deal Advice

Solar Technology: The Expert Guide to Using Solar Energy for Heating, Cooling and Electricity

by David Thorpe

Solar energy is free, abundant and sustainable, with many methods existing to harness it. This Expert guide is the essential introduction to the subject, explaining how the technologies work, how best they should be employed, and the costs and benefits of using them. It provides detailed yet accessible coverage of:

• Passive solar building
• Solar water heating
• Solar space heating
• Other solar thermal applications (such as cooling and desalination)
• Grid-connected photovoltaics
• Stand-alone photovoltaics

It also introduces the reader to larger scale applications such as concentrating solar power.

Highly illustrated in full colour, this is the perfect primer for anyone who wants to work with or simply learn more about solar technologies.

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Passive solar building
3. Solar water heating
4. Solar space heating
5. Other solar thermal applications
6. Grid-connected photovoltaics
7. Stand-alone photovoltaics
8. Concentrating solar power
9. Conclusion
10. Resources

It takes a realistic but positive look at the historical development of solar practices and technologies in comparison to fossil fuels, and finds a bright future ahead for them as a chief means of combating climate change.