Review of "Time to Shine: Applications of Solar Energy Technology," by Michael Grupp

 Review of

Time to Shine: Applications of Solar Energy Technology, by Michael Grupp, ISBN 9781118016213

Five out of five stars

Dated, but still relevant.

Published in 2012, this book predates the dramatic decline in the cost of electricity generated by solar panels. However, that is not as significant as it could be, for the bulk of the coverage involves other ways solar power can be captured. There is an extensive treatment of devices such as solar powered water heaters and designing buildings where the winter sun that is lower in the sky shines into the windows to heat the building and the higher summer sun does not.

 The examination of the efficiency of these tactics is done using graphs and equations, it is necessary to have a significant understanding of these tools to follow the coverage. What is the strength of the book is the examination of uses of solar energy that have been relegated to a lower tier of usage due to the dramatically increased efficiency of solar panels. I found the discussion of altering the structure of windows so that they let heat in during the winter and keep it out in the summer to be most interesting. Such tactics remain the low hanging fruit of the drive to reduce carbon footprints.

  Since the coverage of electrical generation by solar panels is so dated, it is not strongly encouraged in the book. However, that does not mean that it has lost much of its relevance in the movement to mitigate climate change.

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