1. TheEarthreceivesfromtheSun a largeamount of energythanit consumes only a
fraction. Thisenergysource comes tous in a clean and inexhaustible,
makingitclearthatyoushould try totakeadvantage as much as possible and
withthetechnicalmeans.
Therisingprice of gas and oil, climatechange and
theincreasingdependenceonenergyimports, makesupplyourcurrentplans look
increasinglythreatened. Animportantchallengeforthefutureistocutfossil fuel use to a
minimum.
Conserve energy and use renewableenergy in this sector can be a
hugecostsavings, as well as aneffectivewaytohelpslowclimatechange.
Thevastmajority of solar thermalsystemsthat are in use
todaybelongtodetachedhousesorsemi-detached. However, thesesystems are
increasinglyused in largebuildings: blocks of flats, hotels and
cateringestablishments and in publicbuildings.
Animportantlessonto be drawnfromtheexperienceisthatthedesign of large solar
thermalsystems can not be standardized. Eachsystemshould be
developedtakingintoaccount individual circumstances and userneeds, a task and a
challengeforallinvolvedarchitects and engineers.
Solar thermalenergy can be used in anyroomwhereyouneed a low-intensityheating:
forhotwater, tocontributetotheproduction of heating and air
conditioningheatgeneratingsystems.
Solar collectorsinstalledonroofs capture sunlight and convertitintoenergy.
Theabsorbentunitconsists of whatisknown as a selectivecoating,
whichenablesefficientlyconvert solar radiationintoheateven in
thewinteroroncloudydays. Thecollectorisprotectedby a glassthat can
withstandevenhail.
Thesecollectors can be mountedon flat orpitchedroofs, built in thelining of
therooforinstalled as part of thebuilding'sfacade.
Mostmodern solar thermalsystems use solar collectors flat plateorevacuatedtube.
The place of location of installation determines whattype of collectorwell as
therequiredtemperature.
The solar energycapturedbythecollectoristransferredtotheheatingcircuitvia a
heatexchanger.

2. Toobtainmaximumenergyfrom a solar
thermalsystemdependscruciallyonhowefficientistheinteractionbetweenallsystemco
mponents. In thisrespectthe control systemisveryimportant.
Because of theclimatechange debate and theincrease in oilprices,
willbecomeincreasinglycommondesignbuildingsprimarilybasedonenergyconsumptio
n.
Hereiswhere solar thermaladopt a veryimportant role.
Apartfrom use in residentialbuildings, hotels and publicfacilities, solar
thermalsystemswillalso be installedto industries. In a nearfuture, the solar
collectorswill be abletoprovidetemperaturesabove 250 °. Laundries,
electroplatingoperations and dryingplants (egindustrypaints and coatings),
workincreasinglyusing solar thermalenergy.
Basedonstudiesconcludesthatadaptingthat use ourtechnologywithoutsophisticated
and expensiveimportfromothercountries, we can save a largepercentage of
energyconsumption in our country. Whatmust be clearisthat solar energywillreplace
in a hundredpercenttheothersources of energy, butit can serve as a
complementtootherenergysources.