Solar

Solar energy is evident in heat and light from the sun. Even in Ireland, solar energy has more potential that most people realise. Three technologies have evolved to harness solar energy.

Passive solar design

Passive solar architecture is a design approach rather than the active use of a specific technology or device. The fabric, orientation and layout of the building are manipulated to achieve maximum solar gains and minimise the need for artificial lighting, heating and ventilation. Passive solar design principles can be incorporated into new homes at no extra cost while bringing substantial benefits in energy savings and comfort. For Passive House guidelines please visit our Solar section.

Active solar heating

A second type of solar system, sometimes known as active solar technology, involves the installation of a solar collector device, which is typically a metal box structure containing an absorber. The solar collector absorbs the sun's heat to provide space or, more commonly, water heating. A correctly sized unit can provide around half of a household's hot water needs over a year. Around 2,500 square meters of solar thermal collectors have been installed in Ireland. This represents just 0.2% of the estimated practical solar heating resource available now (ESBI Report).

Photovoltaics

A third way in which solar energy can be harnessed in buildings is through the use of photovoltaic technology. Photovoltaic systems use semiconductor materials to convert sunlight to electricity. They are used in consumer goods such as solar watches and calculators. In Dublin, parking metres are powered by PV panels. They can also be integrated in building structures or used in larger scale electricity generation.