EnergyInformations.com - Energy Information and Online Guide

Solar Energy Risks To Health

Solar energy is a potential source of free electricity and water heating. It offers the power to enjoy electrical power in remote areas of the world. It seems to offer health and safety along with power, but does it?

Solar energy health risks are seldom mentioned. That may be partially due to the limited use of this source of energy. It may also be due to the lack of research in this area. Some have begun to study solar energy health risks, however, and if one researches long enough, a few estimates are available.

Thermal Solar Energy Health Risks

Solar energy health risks are inherent to the design and installation of most thermal energy systems. These are the systems designed to heat water and air for household use.

Solar water heaters complete three basic operations before delivering hot water to your faucet or your heating unit:

1. collect sunlight and convert it into heat energy. 2. circulate fluids that transfer the heat energy to a storage unit 3. store the hot water until you need it

The solar energy health risks with such a system usually occur in the storage units. Some units allow for the growth of allergenic molds and fungi.

If proper materials are used for the storage unit, however, these solar energy systems present few, if any, health risks. Their advantages are that they are far safer than most fossil fuels or nuclear power - they have no emissions and do not pollute the air.

PV Panel Solar Energy Health Risks

The solar energy health risks associated with photovoltaic (PV) panels occurs before the panels are put into use on the consumer's home. PV panels are the panels used to collect solar energy from sunlight and convert it into usable electricity.

The manufacture of PV panels requires the use of toxic materials. Silicon dioxide is mined from sand or quartzite and reduced with heat to pure silicon. Materials released during refining are the main health risks. Several steps in forming the photovoltaic cells utilize toxic materials. These are sprayed on the cells, and can readily be inhaled.

It is estimated that solar energy health risks associated with producing PV panels per unit energy may be between 11 and 21 deaths per quadrillion joules of energy produced.

Solar energy health risks from PV panels are very slight once the panels are produced and installed on the consumer's home. This type of solar energy is known for reliability and low maintenance. The home owner seldom needs to be involved in any repairs, and thereby cuts solar energy health risks.

Passive Solar Energy Health Risks

Passive solar energy provides safety and health. A new building that maximizes this technology can reduce energy costs by nearly one half. How?

1. Warming indoor air in a house through vertical, slanted windows facing the sun. The windows capture maximum solar energy from the sunlight.

2. Collecting solar energy in adobe or stone walls and floors, and then releasing it into the air as the temperature falls.

3. Collecting solar energy in a sun space, much like a greenhouse built on the sunny side of the home. This heat is sent into the home with proper ventilation.

4. Holding water in black roof tanks until needed, cutting the working time of the home's hot water heater.

5. Using clerestories ? rows of windows near roof peaks that catch sunlight and bounce it through the building. The sunlight reduces the need for electric lights.

In Summary

Solar energy technologies present few, if any, health risks for the end user. Their use can reduce the health risks presented by other energy sources, providing cleaner, safer, more cost effective energy.

?2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart, a career educator and researcher, invites you to read more of her articles about solar energy at http://www.solar-energy-connection.com. Anna has also posted articles on that site about solar homes. If you would like information about acquiring a solar home building grant, visit Anna now.

MORE ARTICLES:

Arizona Pool Builder Increases Product Line to Include Energy Efficient and Solar Energy Products
AquavidaPools.com is ramping up to be a premier provider of energy efficient solutions for Arizona pools.

Solar Energy: Home Made or Purchased?
Want a Home Solar Energy System The thought of not relying on the local power company for electricity, saving all that money in the process by using your won home solar energy system is quite interesting to me

Costs of Solar Energy
Affordable Solar Energy The cost of obtaining solar energy is decreasing The cost of solar energy systems and the cost of solar energy panels is more reachable than ever before

Shedding some light on the myths of solar energy
As new concepts and theories for residential energy production emerge, many sceptics voice their opinions claiming these new ideas simply dont life up to the hype. Solar power is one such idea which has generated a considerable amount of cynicism.

New Index Tracks World's Solar Energy Stocks Benchmark for Emerging Growth Sector
The Ardour Solar Energy Index (Ticker: SOLRX) of 27 global solar energy stocks will commence real-time price dissemination on Monday, April 21.

Solar Energy Risks To Health
Solar energy is a potential source of free electricity and water heating. It offers the power to enjoy electrical power in remote areas of the world. It seems to offer health and safety along with power, but does it?

Austin Solar AC Exhibiting at Renewable Energy Roundup
Austin Solar Air Conditioning, Inc. announced they will be exhibiting at the 9th Annual Renewable Energy Roundup and Green Living Fair. The Renewable Energy Roundup will be held in Fredericksburg, Texas from September 26th thru September 28th.

Tulsa Home Builder Responds to Energy Costs and Concerns with Energy Star Standards
PMC Homes, a Tulsa home-building company, has made a commitment to the community and the environment by following the Energy Star program guidelines in every home they build.

Solar Cars: The Oldest Energy Around
With zero emissions, solar cars present a sunny solution to eco-friendly car buyers It also makes good sense to develop a green car technology that doesn?t call for a complicated infrastructure or any type of fueling station

What You Should Know Before Knowing How to Build Solar Power Energy
Before you begin to learn how to build solar power energy, you will need to do a few things to get ready. You will need to assess your house and your location to make sure that solar power will ultimately work for you. You also need to determine exactly what you want to do with your new energy before you learn how to build solar power energy because what you intend to do with it will impact what exactly you will need to build it.

APS Expands Renewable Energy Programs: Solar Energy, 'Green Rate' Choices Enable Customers to Help Environment
APS customers can help usher in a future where energy from the sun, wind and other renewable sources play an ever-increasing role in lighting and cooling Arizona's homes, schools and businesses.

Build a Solar Power Generator as Alternative Energy
My son and I built a solar power generator for a total of $164 in less than 3 days. We are now enjoying significant cost savings to our electric bill as a result as well as becoming more independent of the grid.

One New Solar Energy Stock Added to Ardour Solar Energy Index in Quarterly Rebalancing
The Ardour Solar Energy Index℠ (www.ardourglobalindexes.com) (TICKER: SOLRX) will add one new component, effective 6:00 PM (EST) Sunday, September 21, 2008. No stock will be deleted, changing the number of index components to 35. The changes result from the index?s quarterly rebalancing.

Universal Solar Power - 'Solar Tres' and Commercial Solar Thermal Energy
After the success of Solar One - the world's first large-scale thermal solar power plant - and its update, Solar Two, Europe has now entered into the race for sustained solar power Solar Tres, located West of Ejica in the Andalusia district of Spain, has been modeled on the Solar One and Two projects, which were developed and updated in the Marstow Desert, California, in 1981 and 1995