1. Solar Power

2. The Sun
The Sun’s surface is called the photosphere is 10,000 Fahrenheit. 
The temperature at the core, or very middle, of the Sun, is about 27 million Fahrenheit.
The sun is only important to our solar system. There are over 100 billion stars in the milky way.

3. The Sun Is a G2 dwarf star that is 4.6 billion years old
It will burn for another 4.6 billion years
The sun is only important to our solar system. There are over 100 billion stars in the milky way.

4. The Sun
The sun is the closest star to Earth and is million kilometers (92.96 million miles) away
The sun rotates on its axis once every Earth days or hours
The sun is only important to our solar system. There are over 100 billion stars in the milky way.

5. The Sun
Approximately 109 planet Earths would fit on the surface of the sun
More than one million planet Earths would fit inside of the sun.
The sun is only important to our solar system. There are over 100 billion stars in the milky way.

6. The Sun
100,000,000,000 tons of dynamite would have to be detonated every second to match the energy produced by the sun
The sun is only important to our solar system. There are over 100 billion stars in the milky way.

7. The Sun

8. How could we utilize the Sun?
The sun is a renewable energy resource.
Just a tiny fraction of the Sun's energy that hits the Earth (around a hundredth of a millionth of a percent) is enough to meet all our power needs many times over.
In fact, every minute, enough energy arrives at the Earth to meet our demands for a whole year
if only we could harness it properly.

9. Solar Green House Sun’s short waves go in
Infrared rays cannot get back out
Warm air rises from the ground
Air collectors heat the ambient air and circulate it around

10. Envelope Homes Utilizes convection Passive (no moving parts)
Air collectors heat the ambient air and circulate it around

11. Envelope Homes Trombe Walls
Sun goes through glass and is absorbed by the absorber
Air collectors heat the ambient air and circulate it around

12. Parabolic Dish Reflects rays of the sun to a focal point
Hydronic collectors heat a fluid called a hydronic fluid and then used in heat exchangers or stored in tanks. Water can also be superheated into steam and create electricity.

13. Parabolic Trough Reflects rays of the sun to a focal point
Hydronic collectors heat a fluid called a hydronic fluid and then used in heat exchangers or stored in tanks. Water can also be superheated into steam and create electricity.

14. Solar Hot Water Water is heated Stored in tanks
Hydronic collectors heat a fluid called a hydronic fluid and then used in heat exchangers or stored in tanks. Water can also be superheated into steam and create electricity.

15. Photovoltaic Cells
A solar electric system that converts visible sunlight directly into electricity
Light hits a silicon or cadmium sulfide and creates a positive and negative charge.
Cell acts as a small battery

16. Photovoltaic Cells

17. Connecting to the Grid

18. Solar Thermal Energy Conversion

19. What is it?
Solar thermal electric energy generation concentrates the light from the sun to create heat, and that heat is used to run a heat engine, which turns a generator to make electricity.
The working fluid that is heated by the concentrated sunlight can be a liquid or a gas. Different working fluids include water, oil, salts, air, nitrogen, helium, etc.

20. What is it?
Different engine types include steam engines, gas turbines, Stirling engines, etc.
All of these engines can be quite efficient, often between 30% and 40%, and are capable of producing 10’s to 100’s of megawatts of power.
Heat can be stored during the day and then converted into electricity at night.

21. Major Solar Thermal Industry Players
eSolar
Brightsource
Abengoa

22. 2 types of Solar Thermal Collection
Line Focus
Point Focus

23. Line Focus Less Expensive Technically less difficult Not as efficient
250° C or 482° F

24. Point Focus Series of mirrors surrounding a central tower.
500° C or 932° F

25. Point Focus

26. Point Focus

27. References
c “Solar System Exploration: Sun.” NASA.gov. June 11, Accessed: June 10, 2009.
d “Sun: The Center of It All.” NationalGeographic.com. Accessed: June 10, 2009.