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Energy is an inseparable part of our lives. Energy provides for our basic survival and gives shape to our aspirations and dreams. Our resources of energy, like fossil fuel reserves and natural gas, are decreasing day by day; while at the same time, the demand for energy in our country and across the globe is increasing. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand, develop and explore other forms of energy resources. Renewable energy resources like the sun and wind play a major role in the development of a For this reason, there is a great need for education about renewable energy options, such as solar energy. As well, many of the environmental concerns of the earth are due to pollution from the burning of fossil fuels. The “Greenhouse Effect” is an important example of an environmental problem caused by pollution. You can build a quick solar energy cooker (see the next article) that you can then use to cook a variety of foods. It can be a fun project that may even inspire you to build a full size solar oven, which is also an easy project that anyone can do. SOLAR HEATING Solar heating is an important and very practical step towards a sustainable future. The objective of the activities in this section is to design and build devices that utilize the sun’s energy as heat. Solar heating starts with solar collectors which are divided into two basic groups: flat plate and focusing collectors. The flat plate collector absorbs the sun’s energy and converts it into heat, while the focusing collector concentrates the sunlight either by reflecting or refracting to achieve higher temperatures.
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