Renewable Biorefineries

2. Solar Energy

Solar energy is the form of energy which comes from sunlight. People all over the world used this energy in different ways. Its traditional human uses in heating, cooking, and drying, it is used today to make electricity where other power supplies are absent, such as in remote places and in space. It is becoming cheaper to make electricity from solar energy as compared to electricity produced by coal or oil. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar power and solar water heating to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favourable thermal mass or light-dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.