Evaluating Different Options to Store Solar Energy
If you are residing in an area that receives adequate sunlight throughout the year, it is a good idea to collect solar energy. The solar energy can also be stored in a number of ways to power your electricity and heat your home. But you must understand the pros and cons of each method to decide the best option to store solar energy.
Different Ways to Store Solar Energy
Liquid Packed Beds: Many people use specially designed liquid packed beds to store solar energy. Normally, these beds are designed as container that can be filled with a liquid like water. The container also has stones placed inside it to soak the solar energy up. The liquid absorbs the solar rays in a manner similar to a lake or ocean. If you have observed swimmers being sunburned, it will be easier for you to understand the functioning of the liquid packed beds.
Heat-of-Fusion Units: You can further store the solar energy by using heat-of-fusion units. These units are designed specifically to convert water into a solid form by using chemicals. The mechanism of the heat-of-fusion units is similar to the functionality of liquid packed beds. The units use liquid to absorb the solar rays, and then the chemical converts the liquid into solid to capture the solar energy.
Incidental Heat Traps: The solar energy can be used for a number of purposes. Along with running your appliances, the energy can also be used to keep your home warm during winter months. If you are planning to use the energy to keep your house and floors warm, it is a good idea to install incidental heat traps. However, these traps can be installed only under stone floor. Once the stone floor will absorb the sunlight entering into your windows, the hat traps will store the heat to keep the floor warm during evenings and nights.
Large Solar Panels: The solar panels can be described as photovoltaic panels designed specifically to capture sunlight, and process the solar energy to generate electricity. The electricity can be used to meet the current and future energy needs of your family. In comparison to the above mentioned options, solar panels are more effective in capturing a huge amount of solar energy. Also, you have options to choose from a variety of solar panels according to your average energy needs. However, you must install the large solar panels in an open area that received constant sunlight throughput the day. It is also important to explore options to optimize the performance of these panels, and generate more solar energy.
It is always a good idea to generate and store solar energy by installing large solar panels. You can even consider buying DIY solar panel kits to generate solar energy in a simple and hassle-free way.