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The term thermal solar power refers to systems that convert solar radiation into useful heat. This is also referred to as passive solar energy. It is a different type of system from solar power electricity, and whose usefulness should not be overlooked.

Thermal solar power can be used in as many ways as you can think. Designs exist from heating up your hot water tanks, to industrial steam generation and everything in between. Many of these systems are attractive because of their low cost and simplicity.

For most folks, thermal solar power will be limited to heating up a hot water tank, or storing heat for the workshop or house. These systems are inexpensive to incorporate, especially when designing a new home.

There are other good uses for thermal solar power which we expect to increase in years to come. One is pebble bed heat exchangers, which act as a thermal storage bank for converted heat. This gives us some system capacity and operating flexibility.

Applications for pebble bed heat exchangers include radiant heating in and around our homes. They can be integrated into greenhouses, saunas, or even in your family rooms. Pebble bed heat exchangers are made from natural materials, and can be an attractive feature in any home.

The typical operating temperature for most thermal solar power systems will be between 100F and 180F. In good solar climates these temperatures can be easily achieved with popular off the shelf equipment. With more specialized equipment we can go in excess of 250F, and with high performance industrial equipment over 700 degrees is possible. These high performance systems are usually for making steam, but incorporating them into other processes is also possible.

Solar collectors are designed to achieve a certain operating temperature. Flat plate and evacuated tube collectors are very effective at lower system temperatures. Parabolic trough and concentrating collectors are required for higher system temperatures. The solar collector is quite possibly the most important component in your thermal solar power system. It is the thermodynamic engine and should be selected thoroughly and carefully.

The solar collector will transfer heat to a circulating fluid, whose flow is driven by a small pump. Depending on the system design temperature and operating environment, this fluid may be water, glycol, or oil. The circulating fluid is like the life blood of thermal solar power system by moving the energy to all the users.

Anyone seriously interested in energy independence should start with thermal solar power technology. The components are simple and inexpensive. If you could identify your climate as having reasonable amounts of Sun, then thermal solar power is encouraged to the fullest extent.

Thermal solar power is a major branch of the solar market, with much room to grow in years to come. Solar hot water and pebble bed heat transfer systems are two good applications for most homes. We can store heat in our floors, a sauna, a greenhouse, or even use it to air dry our clothes. The possibilities for thermal solar power are as far as the imagination can go. With a new age emerging toward more natural lifestyles and self-sustainability, we expect to see several new designs in years to come. Everything begins first with harnessing the energy of the Sun.