CHAPTER 6Solar Thermal Systems – Year-Round Heating from the Sun
The light and warmth of the sun give us a special sense of well-being, which is why summer is eagerly awaited in the colder regions of the world such as Northern Europe. Most people in these countries are also lucky enough to be able to reproduce these conditions even in the depths of winter. Our homes and workplaces are heated to a comfortable level and well lit, and our water is heated, so that we can enjoy hot baths and showers at any time. The luxury of always being able to set the desired temperature is taken for granted today, one of the most pleasant achievements of our prosperous society. It is difficult to imagine the period after the Second World War, when not enough fuel was available in the cold winters to maintain even reasonably bearable temperatures in our dwellings. However, our prosperity and fossil fuels have eliminated these conditions once and for all – not everywhere in the world but at least for us (Figure 6.1).
Figure 6.1 Modern solar thermal collector systems are an important alternative to conventional oil and natural gas heating.
Photos: http://www.wagner-solar.com.
But even eliminating fossil fuels will in no way jeopardize our privilege of always being able to select the temperature we want. Solar thermal energy – the heat from the sun – is an important alternative. Solar thermal ...