What is solar thermal energy?

solar thermal energy is a form of energy in which the sun is used to produce heat that can be used in different ways. People have used this energy for thousands of years for a number of tasks and modern technology has significantly expanded the application for solar heat. This should not be confused with the solar energy in which the sun light is used to produce electricity.

Some solar thermal energy applications are very old. For example, solar drying is a technique that uses heat from the Sun for food preservation. In this application, food products are spread over the rocks and solar heat is used to dry them. Evaporation ponds, such as those used for salt concentration, also use thermal energy from the Sun, as well as plants of desalination.

This form of energy can also be used for cooking, sometimes in a very creative way. Solar furnaces use solar thermal energy and can be used to heat water to generate steam for VA. Pasteurization can also be achieved by concentrated heat from the sun. Another use for him is distillation of fluids and of course when heated hot water. In this way, water is heated for bathing, cleaning and cooking. Can also be used for household heating; For example, heated water can be circulated under the floor to warm it up.

solar thermal energy can even be used for cooling, even if it sounds paradoxically using heat to cool things. In this application, it is used in a process known as evaporation cooling, in which liquid water evaporates and cools air. All these solar heat applications can be basic for advanced and accessible people in communities around the world, including communities in developing countries.

The heat from the Sun can be used in electricity production. This requires some extensive support technology, but one of the advantages is that since thenIt can be stored, solar thermal power plant can work 24 hours a day to meet the needs of energy. These devices are usually found in areas that gain a lot of sun, so the maximum amount of thermal energy can be used. Towers and reflective fields of different types can be used to collect sun heat and concentrate for the purpose of making electricity.