CONTENTS PREFACE V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Vl 1Solar radiant energy 1 1.1 Energy resources 1.2 Solar constant and spectrum 1.3 Atmospheric effects on solar radiation 1.4 Solar radiation measurements 1.5 Solar incidence angles 1.6 Solar radiation on tilted surfaces. 2 Principles of solar energy utilization 10 2.1 Background 2.2 Solar thermal conversions 2.3 Solar photovoltaics 2.4 Solar bioconversion 2.5 Classification of solar thermal applications. 3 Solar ponds: theory and design 40 3.1 Importance 3.2 Solar pond taxonomy 3.3 Worldwide experience on salt gradient solar pond 3.4 Modelling of thermo-physical processes 3.5 Thermal design procedures. 4 Technologs and applications of solar ponds 88 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Containment 4.3 Establishment of gradient 4.4 Gradient control 4.5 Wind and precipitation effects 4.6 Fouling and corrosion 4.7 Monitoring 4.8 Applica-tions. 5 Solar active systems 105 5.1 Basic components 5.2 Sjlar space and water heating 5.3 Solar heat pumps 5.4 Solar cooling 5.5 Status of solar air-conditioning. 6 Passive solar buildings 119 6.1 General 6.2 Basic heating concepts 6.3 Basic cooling concepts 6.4 Heating and cooling concepts 6.5 Solar architec-ture; a new design art 6.6 Some examples of passive solar buildings 6.7 Dynamic thermal calculation methods 6.8 Periodic thermal evaluation of passive concepts: airconditioned building. 7 Thermal modelling of non-airconditioned building 164 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Schematic and approximations 7.3 Thei-mal energy balance 7.4 Performance prediction. 8 Solar water heating and distillation 179 8.1 Thermosiphoa water heater 8.2 Collector-cum-storage water heaters 8.3 Solar distillation. 9 Solar power supplies and pumps for remote rural applications 199 9-1 Introduction 9.2 Solar pawer conversion technologies 9.3 Viable parabolic dish technology 9.4 Solar pumps. REFERENCES 215 APPENDICES 237 NOTATIONS 243