Engineering Stack Exchange
Engineering Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [solar-energy]

Use for questions about non-photovoltaic solar energy applications, such as passive solar heating or concentrated solar thermal power. For PV applications, use the photovoltaics tag instead.

75 questions
5
votes
1 answer

Is it possible to modify a home gutter to absorb sufficient solar energy to melt ice?

This is related to the question Will dark gutters stay ice free better than light colored gutters? The current consensus seems to be that the mass of the gutters and limited light may make simply painting them black insufficient. In my particular…
James Jenkins
  • 1,062
  • 2
  • 11
  • 22
3
votes
1 answer

How are solar panels at equator placed?

Are solar panels placed horizontally at the equators since the solar altitude (solar window) changes direction from north to south?
Nagabhushan Baddi
  • 145
  • 7
1
vote
2 answers

Which kind of thermal oil is used in solar thermal power plants and how are they produced?

I'm currently researching some mechanisms for a simulation game, which also covers several electrical power plant options. As part of this, I'm currently looking at a solar thermal power plant, which in the first phase is meant to use thermal oil…
ArgisIsland
  • 113
  • 4
1
vote
0 answers

For a given surface area of sunshine are the latest solar panels more or less efficient than a Stirling engine?

I was wondering if the efficiency of current solar panels are better or worse than the current state of the art Stirling engines. I understand the former isn't a static variable and solar panels are improving constantly.
Colin Ellis
  • 129
  • 4
1
vote
2 answers

How to extract solar energy from a wall?

I have a vertical wall which faces the sun (North in my case as I am in New Zealand) and it gets hot in Summer.I should like to take some of that heat and transfer it into a nearby swimming pool as it seems a shame to waste it. My plan is to fix…
Robert Seddon-Smith
  • 111
  • 3
0
votes
1 answer

What is the commercial status of the solar updraft tower aka solar chimney technology?

To extract energy from the sun there are a lot of different ways. According to my knowledge the ones that receives most of the attention are photovoltaics, concentrated solar power, and the Solar updraft tower. The first two solutions reached…
FluidCode
  • 67
  • 7
0
votes
1 answer

Solar power system, hybrid, 48 V & 24 V inverters in parallel

I am planning on getting an off-grid/hybrid power system for my house. We have a shortage of inverters in South Africa currently. Is it possible to have 2 inverters in parallel: one of them 48 V (5 kVA) as primary and another one a 24 V (3 kVA) as…
zunetastic
  • 103
  • 1
0
votes
1 answer

What is the solar window (solar altitude angle range) of Bangalore?

What is the solar altitude at Bangalore at solar noon during summer solstice, March equinox, Winter solstice and September equinox? In other words, What is the solar window (solar altitude angle range) of Bangalore? PS: Consider latitude of…
Nagabhushan Baddi
  • 145
  • 7
0
votes
1 answer

Electronics confusion

I want to build my own off-grid system but confused with what sizes (V, I) to get. I want to run a 24v system powering 4.4kWh/day. I have 4 hours of usable sunlight a day and space for panels and equipment is not an issue (within reason). Looking…
Christian
  • 103
  • 4
0
votes
2 answers

Did a RTC solar tracker need any photosensor?

I planned to do a solar tracker for my project and I am going to make a RTC solar tracker(actually still considering). So, do I still need photosensor like LDR for tracking the sun?
Geddoe
  • 11
  • 2
-1
votes
1 answer

Would using activated carbon in a solar air collector help due to increased surface area?

Basically put a light coat of activated carbon on the collector, because surface area is so great, but I cant find info on its ability to collect solar energy, esp. compared to other materials. Im guessing not because its probably a poor thermal…
hippypink
  • 1