Posts tagged help

Question by Da Vinci Herself:
Can someone help me comprehend this statement about Solar Energy?
So I am reading this article on Wikipedia about Solar Energy. I have to do this project about biofuels, and solar energy is one of them. It says:

“Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive or active depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute sunlight. Active solar techniques use photovoltaic panels, pumps, and fans to convert sunlight into useful outputs. Passive solar techniques include selecting materials with favorable thermal properties, designing spaces that naturally circulate air, and referencing the position of a building to the Sun. Active solar technologies increase the supply of energy and are considered supply side technologies, while passive solar technologies reduce the need for alternate resources and are generally considered demand side technologies.”

I do not comprehend what they mean. Do active thinger-majiggers move toward the sun, and passive ones just sit there and absorb the sunlight?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy#Energy_from_the_Sun

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