Knowra Solar thermal energy Solar thermal energy Solar thermal energy is heat captured from solar radiation for direct use or conversion into another energy form. Systems range from rooftop water heaters to utility-scale power plants.
Solar collector : A device that absorbs solar radiation and transfers the resulting heat to a fluid or material. Collectors are the main components that turn incoming sunlight into thermal energy.
Solar district heating : A system that supplies heat from solar thermal collectors to multiple buildings through a district network. Large collector fields can contribute heat to shared community heating networks.
Solar irradiance : The solar power received per unit area, typically expressed in watts per square metre. Irradiance determines how much solar energy is available for a collector to absorb.
Solar photovoltaic energy : Electricity produced when photovoltaic materials convert absorbed light directly into electrical current. Photovoltaics generate electricity directly, while solar thermal systems first capture heat.
Intermittent renewable energy : Renewable energy whose output varies with weather or other conditions outside operator control. Solar thermal availability follows sunlight, though heat storage can shift when its output is delivered.
Heat transfer : The movement of thermal energy through conduction, convection, or radiation. Captured heat must move from the collector to storage, a load, or a power cycle.
Solar process heat : Heat supplied by solar technologies for industrial processes such as washing, drying, or heating materials. Industrial demand offers a major direct-use market for temperatures below those of power generation.
Blackbody radiation : Electromagnetic radiation emitted by an ideal body according to its temperature. Thermal collectors lose energy by emitting radiation, especially as their temperature rises.
Passive solar building design : Building design that uses sunlight, thermal mass, and ventilation to regulate indoor conditions without powered solar collectors. Passive design captures solar warmth through the building itself rather than an active heat system.
Thermal energy storage : Methods for storing heat for use after it is generated. Stored heat can make solar power plants dispatchable beyond daylight hours.
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