Solar Energy, A natural choice of Electrical Energy. Anywhere..
04.10.06: BIPV solar website has been officially launched
10.11.06: Updated portfolio and services.
An emerging type of residential solar power is called photovoltaics. This technology uses semiconductor material to convert sunlight directly into electricity - if you have a solar calculator or watch, you're already using photovoltaics. More than 10,000 homes in the United States are entirely powered by solar energy.
The advantages of a photovoltaic (PV) system are numerous: it's non-polluting, there are no moving parts, it operates silently and requires little maintenance. Photovoltaic power can also be stored in deep-cycle batteries for evening or back-up use.
This means PV set-ups require different wiring, along with an expensive inverter to be able to run appliances. Sizing a PV system to provide enough power to run high-wattage appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners and stoves can quickly put it out of most homeowners' price range.
Photovoltaics can be used to produce large amounts of electricity. PV power plants, located primarily in California, use massive lenses and reflectors to concentrate the sun's energy on a fluid-filled pipe.
The heated fluid is used to drive a conventional electric generator. As with wind turbines, solar energy is used to supplement existing fossil fuel power plants.
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