Details of heating system

Sunlight
Solar
heated water
Hot water tap
Heated floor slab
Hot water storage tank
Fig. 2.13: Solar heated house
56 Environment and Ecology
Figure 4.6 illustrates the function of a solar cell. Light is
absorbed in a plate, with the generation of positive and negative
charges, which are collected at the electrodes on either side.
The silicon solar cell, developed for space programmes,
consists of a sandwich of n-type and p-type silicon semiconductors
(e.g., silicon, germanium is a crystalline substance
which is intermediate between a metallic conductor on the
one hand and non-conducting insulator on the other)the
charge separation is developed across the junction between
them. p-type silicon conducts positive charge while n-type
silicon conducts negative charge. The silicon cell produces
electricity but is quite expensive since very high-grade
crystalline silicon is required for the cell.
n-type
silicon
Electron flow
Load
p-type silicon
hv
pn junction
++
++

(Sunlight)
Fig. 2.14: Solar cell for electricity generation
2.7.2 Biogas
This offers an important solution to the present energy
crisis in rural areas. Besides being an important domestic
energy source, it offers an environmentally-clean technology.
There is a vast reserve of biogas in Indian villages. It is
estimated that 1000 million tonnes of animal dung per year
is available from 250 million cattle population. On an average
10 kg of wet dung is available per animal per day, which at 66
per cent collection efficiency, can yield 22,500 million cubic
meters of biogas through biogas plants. This can replace
kerosene oil whereby 14,000 million litres of kerosene per year
Energy 57
can be saved in villages. Besides, biogas slurries can produce
200 million tonnes of organic manure per year which can be
a good substitute for chemical fertilisers for agriculture.
The composition of the biogas is: methane, carbon dioxide,
hydrogen and nitrogen. The proportion of methane and
carbon dioxide varies considerably as does the calorific value.
At 40 per cent methane content, the calorific value is 3200
kcal/cubic metre, while at 50 per cent, it is 4500 kcal/cubic
metre.
2.7.3 Wind Energy