Purdue University Calumet
School of Technology
ECET 521
Solar Energy Systems
Homework#1
Abdulaziz Barkat
1/24/2012
The sun is the only star of our solar system located at its center. The earth and other
planets orbit the sun. Energy from the sun in the form of solar radiation supports almost all life
on earth via photosynthesis and drives the earth’s climate and weather.
As we know, the United States consumes more power than any other country in the world.
The success of the U.S. can be directly related to its power consumption. Most of our electricity
that power our homes comes from burning fossil fuels (Coal, oil etc.) that puts Co2 in the
atmosphere, this is causing major pollution. The U.S. has mainly refused to take this matter
seriously, as showed by their refusal to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, and continues its high
consumption. The amount needed in the future will only rise and because of that reason we need
new alternative sources of energy. These new alternative power sources include wind, solar, and
hydro. Two of which are of great interest to architects are ‘Active Solar’ and ‘Wind Technology.’
I believe that architects have a responsibility to look for new sources of energy, not just for our
environments sake but to gradually lose our dependency on fossil fuels which is quickly running
out while demand keeps increasing. This research paper is about the ideas behind the technology
and how Architects can use active solar and wind technology to power homes now and in the
future.
Societies have taken advantage of wind power for thousands of years. The first known
use was in 5000 BC when people used sails to navigate the Nile River. Persians had already been
using windmills for 400 years by 900 AD in order to pump water and grind grain. Windmills
may have even been developed in China before 1 AD, but the earliest written documentation
comes from 1219. Cretans were using "literally hundreds of sail-rotor windmills [to] pump water
for crops and livestock."
Today, people are realizing that wind power "is one of the most promising new energy
sources" that can serve as an alternative to fossil fuel-generated electricity. The cost of wind has
dropped by 15% with each doubling of installed capacity worldwide, and capacity has doubled
three times during the 1990s and 2000's.As of 1999, global wind energy capacity topped 10,000
megawatts, which is approximately 16 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. That's enough to
serve over 5 cities the size of Miami, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Five
Miamis may not seem significant, but if we make the predicted strides in the near future, wind
power could be one of our main sources of electricity. Is your utility company offering your
family the best rates?
Though wind energy is now more affordable, more available, and pollution-free, it does
have some drawbacks. Wind power suffers from the same lack of energy density as direct solar
radiation. The fact that it is a "very diffuse source" means that "large numbers of wind generators
(and thus large land areas) are required to produce useful amounts of heat or electricity." But
wind turbines cannot be erected everywhere simply because many places are not windy enough
for suitable power generation. When an appropriate place is found, building and maintaining a
wind farm can be costly. It "is a highly capital-intensive technology." If the interest rates charged
for manufacturing equipment and constructing a plant are high, then a consumer will have to pay
more for that energy. "One study found that if wind plants were financed on the same terms as
gas plants, their cost would drop by nearly 40%." Fortunately, the more facilities built, the
cheaper wind energy is. But there is increasing energy being put in finding many other
alternative sources of power and making them viable, such as geothermal and wave energy and
biomass.
Active Solar refers to “taking advantage of solar energy by the means of mechanic or
electrical systems for heating and electric conversion.” Solar collectors is often placed on the
roof, but can just as easily be placed on a framework placed on the ground, on carports, or gables.
To maximize solar gains, houses need face south, with wind concentrated on the south-facing
side. Stone, concrete and brick, which absorb energy during the day and release it slowly at night,
should be used. Also, adding a south facing sunspace can increase solar gains in homes. The
solar panels use oil or water as conductors to trap and store solar energy. Today’s solar collectors
can convert about 10-20% of the sun’s energy to useable heat. A correctly size d unit can provide
around half of a home’s hot water needs over a year. There are already advanced solar cells in
existence that achieves 40% efficiency in space. In fact, efficiencies for photovoltaic energy
collection could go above 50%. Which means that with sufficient development and deployment,
we could generate enough emission less power to feed the entire nation with no need for any
kind of additional generator capacity .