A review on Solar Thermal Energy

The solar thermal structure yields thermal power from the heat of the sun. The vital working principle is the thermal collectors must reach a temperature higher than the object to be warmed for the system to operate with a positive energy gain. There are many types of solar energy; probably the most general is the photovoltaic energy which is based on electrical energy production by photovoltaic panels. But there are other ways to obtain electrical energy from sunlight with perhaps better results. Solar thermal power involves none of the polluting emissions or environmental safety concerns associated with conventional generation technologies. There is no pollution in the form of exhaust fumes or noise during operation. Solar-thermal power stations have several advantages over solar-photovoltaic projects. They are typically built on a much larger scale, and historically their costs have been much lower. Compared with other renewable sources of energy, they are probably best able to match a utility's electrical load, says Nathaniel Bullard of New Energy Finance, a research firm. There are many other uses for solar thermal technology. These include refrigeration, air conditioning, solar stills and desalination of salt water and more. More information on these technologies is available in the relevant texts given in the reference section at the end of this fact sheet.