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Learn about renewable solar energy.

The Solar Electric Design Guide

A fully printable version of the original solar design guide by Kyocera Solar Inc.  A very informative booklet that answers the most frequently asked questions about solar/renewable power and systems. Pages include diagrams, schematics & worksheets to help you decide what is right for you.

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Learn more about Solar Energy Basics

The sun’s heat and light provide an abundant source of energy that can be harnessed in many ways. There are a variety of technologies that have been developed to take advantage of solar energy. These include concentrating solar power systems, passive solar heating and daylighting, photovoltaic systems, solar hot water, and solar process heat and space heating and cooling…

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NREL | Solar Energy Basics

Learn more about Photovoltaic Research

A demonstration of higher performance, lower cost and better reliability in today’s photovoltaic systems is leading many different end users to assess the value of these systems for their particular applications…

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NREL | Photovoltaic Reasearch

Directions for facing panels for maximum energy collection

Here are some maps that show general trends in the amount of solar radiation received in the United States and its territories. They are spatial interpolations of solar radiation values derived from the 1961-1990 National Solar Radiation Data Base (NSRDB) and published in the Solar Radiation Data Manual for Flat-Plate and Concentrating Collectors…

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U.S. Solar Radiation Resource Maps

Solar Glossary of Terms

Are you interested in solar electricity, but not sure what “photovoltaic conversion efficiency” means? You’re not alone. In fact, because technical terms like these come up frequently, especially in discussions of photovoltaics (PV), we prepared this glossary of terms. In it you will find definitions of many important terms having to do with electricity, power generation, concentrating solar power (CSP), solar heating, solar lighting, and solar electricity, also known as PV…

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U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy