Describe The Difference Between Passive And Active Solar Energy

Definitions a house built on passive solar design.

Describe the difference between passive and active solar energy.

The difference between active vs passive solar can get confusing. In fact residential solar grew about 1 250 from 2010 to 2016 talk about an explosion. Passive energy systems use the sun s energy for heating and cooling purposes. Humans can capture solar energy directly from the sun through passive and active solar energy systems ancient people used passive solar energy systems by building their houses out of stone or clay which absorbed the sun s heat during the day and stayed warm after dark providing heat throughout the night.

All over the country people are installing solar panels on their roofs to produce their own electricity and save some cash. Active solar heating is a more involved process than passive solar heating. Passive solar energy does not require electronic or mechanical devices for solar radiation to be harnessed and distributed. While passive solar heating employs methods to capture heat from the sun it does nothing to actively enhance the process.

They use passive collectors to convert rays into the sunlight. A passive solar system does not involve mechanical devices or the use of conventional energy sources beyond that needed to regulate dampers and other controls if any.