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Solar energy is a renewable energy which doesn’t pollute the air and is used in various forms of utility on Earth, Such as drying cloths, heating water and powering different technologies etc. Though many usage of solar power have been discovered, but still we are not capable to make full use of solar energy. First ever solar cell was created in 1883 and now solar energy is used in powering vehicles as well. It’s a long journey of enhancement of solar energy from a solar cell to a solar car.

Solar Powered Cars:

In solar powered cars, same photovoltaic cells (PVC) are used which are also used in solar panels. PVC panels convert the solar energy into electricity that can be used. Solar technology is expensive and costs a lot. Solar panels have different prices, depending how fast the panel can capture and convert the energy. Solar powered car’s body is covered with solar panels, which costs hundreds of thousands dollars. Solar powered car can speed more than 60 miles per hour.

Different big motor vehicle companies are researching to make a solar car on reasonable price, so that they can launch it in the market. In Paris Auto Show, the Venturi Eclectic was presented. This car was designed to use solar and wind energy and was having speed up to 30 miles per hour. But such type of prototype cars can not be in practical use for traveling on highways. May be in future, solar cars are developed more on reasonable prices for general public, and those can be used on highways also. As the advancements in the field of solar energy are being made day by day, it seems solar powered cars wont take so long to be in scene on highways.

None the less solar energy have many benefits. Solar panels don’t make any noise pollution, so cars will be moving silently on the roads. Most of all, solar energy is free of cost and you won’t be dependent on oil. Though sun is not available around the clock, but batteries are used to store the power. As it’s expected to have solar cars on roads in future, so for time being you can experience solar energy powered car by purchasing the Toyota Prius, which has a new solar roof that can power the car for at least 20 miles longer.

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In third world countries, solar power refrigerators are used most commonly. These solar refrigerators works by harnessing the solar energy, and they preserve the goods like meat, vegetables and dairy. The much needed vaccines are also placed in those refrigerators to avoid them from spoiling. The portable devices of the solar refrigerators can be constructed easily by use of simple components, and it really works in the areas where there is no electricity or unreliable power supply.

Different size and technology solar power refrigerators are being already employed in Africa. The biggest challenge for solar power refrigerators is unreliability of the sunshine, as its available several hours in the day but sometime it’s cloudy for days. So to have constant refrigeration phase, change material is added.

Solar Refrigerators Impact on Environment:

Conventional refrigerators are having some dangerous impacts on the environment such as contributing to ozone layer depletion and global warming. The substances in refrigerators that cause the ozone layer depleting and global warming are chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), in their insulation foam or their refrigerant cycle are the most harmful. In 80’s, CFC’s were banned then they were replaced with substances such as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) both are the ozone depleting and contribute to global warming chemicals. Solar energy use for refrigeration tries hard to have minimum impacts on the environment.

Solar Refrigeration History:

Solar refrigerators is specifically developed for developing countries. So that vaccines can be stored in proper temperature. As electricity in such countries is unreliable or some of their areas are having no electricity that’s why conventional refrigerators can’t work there. That’s why on such places alternative refrigeration technologies are required. In beginning there were gas or kerosene powered refrigerators were used to replace them for having minimum impact on the environment the solar refrigerators were introduced.

Currently there are two types of solar fridges:

• Battery Supplemented Solar Refrigerator
• Portable Solar Powered Fridge

Battery Supplemented Solar Refrigerator

Usually solar powered refrigerators and vaccine coolers are having combination of solar panels and lead batteries for storing energy for cloudy days and night. These solar powered fridges are expensive and also require heavy lead-acid batteries. Lead acid batteries get worse in the hot climate and sometimes are misused for other purposes. These batteries require the maintenance also, and batteries are replaced after 3 years. The batteries are disposed of as hazardous waste which can cause lead pollution.

Portable Solar Powered Fridge

A portable solar powered fridge is been produced for use in developing countries. It’s designed on the principle of evaporation. This fridge is solar powered but requires no solar panels. It can be made from common use household material. This made its cost lower so that developing world can easily access it. Without any power consumption this fridge can keep perishable at a temperature of 6 degrees Celsius for days.

How This Fridge Works?

This fridge is made on the basic rule of evaporation, such as heat conduction and convection. There is no electricity needed for it, and can be made commonly available material in home such as cardboard, sand and recycled material.

This fridge is composed of two cylinders. The inner metal cylinder and outer cylinder can be made of anything such as wood or plastic. The metal cylinder is fitted in the outer cylinder; space is left between both cylinders. That space is filled then with organic material like sand, wool, or soil after that it’s saturated with water. Then it’s placed under the sunshine, when sun evaporates the water then the inner chamber cools reducing and maintaining the temperature at 6 degrees Celsius.

This portable solar fridge is being used in African countries like Namibia, Zambia and South Africa. Currently this solar fridge is used for preserving foods such as dairy and meat, yet it’s not being used for vaccines.

This fridge is limited in size, can be transported easily, no environment impacts but it do requires availability of water.

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