| Today, many people feel that nuclear fuel technologies | | | | Trough Power Plants have oil that runs inside the |
| are not adequate in terms of safety and other issues | | | | central tube. When this oil heats up to 400 degrees C, |
| when it comes to replacing fossil fuel for energy | | | | it becomes hot enough to boil water. The steam from |
| generation. At the same time, solar power technologies | | | | the water is then used to turn a steam turbine, which |
| are beginning to show enormous signs of promise. For | | | | generates electricity. At the current time, this method |
| example, solar parabolic trough power plants are | | | | appears to offer the most promise in terms of |
| becoming more feasible as engineers find various | | | | providing enough energy to power towns and cities. |
| ways to work though complexities associated with this | | | | Even solar parabolic trough technology is not especially |
| type of power generation. | | | | complicated, a number of issues come up during the |
| As you may be aware, a parabola is essentially a dish, | | | | process of generating power. Among other things, the |
| or curved object. A parabolic trough combines a | | | | rotation of the planet causes a significant shift in the |
| curved solar collecting plate that concentrates all of | | | | optimal location to gather light and heat from the sun. In |
| the heat and light into one point. In the case of | | | | order to compensate for this movement, some solar |
| parabolic trough power plants, energy from the sun is | | | | power collectors simply rotate in order to stay in |
| concentrated on a narrow tube that sits at the | | | | optimal alignment. These collectors are usually aligned |
| deepest point in the parabola. | | | | on a North to South axis. Other panels remain |
| There are two basic methods that you can use to | | | | stationary. Unfortunately, systems that do not move in |
| harness power from the sun. First, you can use | | | | order to compensate for changes in the direction of |
| expensive coated panels that turn sunlight directly into | | | | the sun tend to be far less efficient. |
| electrical current. This technology is often used to | | | | No matter how you look at it, solar power technologies |
| power everything from calculators to radios and | | | | are going to play an enormous role in meeting future |
| satellites. Unfortunately, the cost of these systems | | | | energy demands. While many researchers are still |
| creates a situation where they are not feasible for | | | | grappling with a number of difficult issues, there is no |
| large scale electricity generation. While they can be | | | | question they are making progress in their efforts to |
| used to power individual homes, the cost associated | | | | generate enough power to take the place of fossil |
| with each panel still tends to be prohibitive. | | | | fuels. As you learn more about solar parabolic trough |
| The second method makes use the heat generated | | | | power plants, you are sure to be fascinated by their |
| by the sun to accomplish various chemical or | | | | design, as well as their potential to provide cheap, |
| temperature based changes. For example, Parabolic | | | | clean, and affordable electricity. |