|  For more info, see Solar links. The sun is the earth’s most powerful energy source and slowly people are finding new ways, and recovering old ways, of using that solar energy. “Passive solar” simply means designing buildings, solar ovens, or water heaters to effectively absorb and retain the heat that the sun gives off. “Active solar” uses photovoltaic panels to convert the energy in sunlight into usable electrical energy that can be stored in batteries, transmitted by wires, and power lights, machines, or water pumps. (read about the ASOFENIX Nicaragua project ) Photovoltaic panels are made from silicon, can be expensive to produce, and are usually used for single homes, schools or clinics instead of whole communities. But they last more than 20 years with little maintenance. Solar systems use batteries to store the electricity from the panels. Often times the batteries for solar systems have short lives due to poor maintenance and over loading. While solar energy has immense possibilities, the industry has faced steep political challenges with those interested in protecting the fossil fuel industry. |
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