

They help make the local environment cleaner.Ĭool roofs are painted white to better reflect sunlight. Plants can get rid of pollutants in rainwater and air. Green roofs are completely covered with plants. Other examples of passive solar technology are green roofs, cool roofs, and radiant barriers. It will take less energy from other sources to heat the house. This means the house will get more heat from the sun.
#Radiant energy types windows#
For example, people can build houses so their windows face the path of the sun. Instead, it gets energy from the way sunlight naturally changes throughout the day. Passive solar energy does not use any equipment. These active solar technologies use sunlight to generate electricity, which we use to power lights, heating systems, computers, and televisions. The two main types of equipment are photovoltaic cells (also called PV cells or solar cells) and mirrors that focus sunlight in a specific spot. Solar energy can be captured “actively” or “passively.”Īctive solar energy uses special technology to capture the sun’s rays.

People have created different ways to capture the energy from these renewable sources. We can see and feel evidence of the transfer of energy in the geothermal energy of steam vents and geysers. We can see and feel evidence of the transfer of energy from the sun to Earth in the sunlight shining on the ground and the warmth we feel when sunlight shines on our skin. We can see and feel evidence of the transfer of energy in wind’s ability to pull kites higher into the sky and shake the leaves on trees. Wind, sunlight, and the planet have energy that transforms in ways we can see and feel. The wind, the sun, and Earth are sources of renewable energy. These energy sources naturally renew, or replenish themselves.
