Alternative Energy Tutorials about Solar Power

DC Water Heating

dc heating element

DC Water Heating elements can be used to heated up water with DC electricty from a PV panel or array. Low voltage resistive heating elements are available in a range of voltages and wattage ratings for off-grid applications ranging from a few hundred watts to many kilo-watts


Solar Thermodynamic Heating

thermodynamic panel

Solar thermodynamic heating systems use solar energy to heat water in the home. Thermodynamic solar panels absorb the environmental heat around themeselves to heat up water for a range of different uses, from domestic hot water to home central heating systems, to swimming pool heating. Thermodynamic solar collector use a heat transfer fluid refridgerant which can heat water 24 hours a day. Unlike conventional flat plate solar panels, solar thermodynamic heating systems do not require direct sunlight and can produce heat no matter what the weather conditions even at night, in rain or on overcast days


Dump Load

dump load image

A dump load, also known as a diversion load, diverts electricity from a battery bank into a resistive load once the charging is complete in order to prevent them from overcharging and becoming damaged. Dump loads such as power resistances, electric water heaters or hot air heaters dissipate any excess power generated by wind or microhydro generators otherwise their rotational speed may increase to the point that they self-destruct or create overvoltage conditions


Betz Limit

Rotating Wind Turbine

The Betz Limit, or Betz Law, defines the theoretical maximum efficiency a wind turbine generator can produce when rotating at optimal performance. Albert Betz calculated and concluded that any wind turbine can not convert more than 59.3% of the winds kinetic energy into useful mechanical energy simply by turning a rotor blade. A turbines coefficient of power allows us to calculate the total amount of power a wind turbine is producing from the total energy available in the wind at a particular wind speed. This theoretical maximum coefficient of power is known as the Betz Limit.


Efficiency of Biomass Energy

efficiency of biomass energy

The efficiency of biomass energy depends on how effectively biomass resources can be converted into electrical power, heat and fuels using a variety of new techologies and traditional methods. Biomass energy crops are now being grown in vast quantities to produce modern forms of energy such as biofuels for transport, pellets for electricity generation as well as a wide diversity of bio-chemicals and bio-lubricants making biomass a truely versatile fuel.


Heat Exchanger Design

thermal radiator

Heat exchanger design has changed very little over the years but their importance in terms of energy conservation, conversion, recovery, and successful implementation of new energy sources has. Heat exchangers are used in many power, heat-recovery, process, transportation and refrigeration applications, so the choice of heat exchanger thermal design is important. Fan assisted finned type heat exchangers are the most commonly used design mainly because they are cheap, while water cooled heat exchanger designs are more efficient but expensive


Energy Storage

Trojan Deep Cycle Battery

Energy storage fulfils three distinct functions of, to charge, to store and to discharge energy. An energy storage device is a device used for storing electrical energy and releasing it when required. The most commonly used for of energy storage device is the battery. Lead-acid batteries are a key component in any renewable energy storage system as an off-grid system that is not, or mostly not, connected to the utility grid requires some form of battery backup to supply the total energy needs of the complete energy system when renewables are no working


Stirling Engine Generator

solar dish

The Stirling Engine is a heat engine design that operates by the cyclic compression and expansion of various gases at different temperatures. A Stirling engine is a closed-cycle regenerative heat engine which uses a gaseous working fluid permanently contained within the system to produce mechanical movement to drive an electrical generator. The heat source used to drive a Stirling engine is generally concentrated solar energy but solid waste heat and bioenergy can also be used


Airborne Wind Energy

airborne wind energy

Airborne wind energy uses tethered wings, aerofoils, kites or ballons that fly high up in crosswinds to generate electrical energy. Unlike grounded wind turbines, airborne wind energy devices fly freely in the air connected by a tether to the ground exploiting the relative velocity between the crosswinds and the ground. The force of the wind in higher altitudes above the ground are typically much stronger and more consistent than those closer to the ground so using airborne wind energy devices makes it possible to obtain very high power densities


Hydro Power

water wheel design

Hydro Power in the form of small run-of-river hydro power plants or large dams and reservoirs for hydroelectric generation all use the kinetic energy of moving water as their power source. Hydropower in all its forms is a renewable energy source with hydroelectric generation powering millions of homes a businesses around the world. Water is the fuel of hydropower, but the effects of climate change on waterfall and rain patterns can also affect the capacity of the electrical energy produced