passive solar, definition of

Passive Solar

An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle powered by electricity, offering an alternative to traditional gasoline or diesel-powered cars. EVs are broadly categorized into Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs).


The battery that stores and provides the electricity for the vehicles is often an integral part of the vehicle and built into its frame, given the batteries are often heavy and as such are best placed close to the ground to lower the centre of gravity of the vehicle to improve handling and provide a degree of protection to the battery.

In order to be charged EV's need to visit a charging station which is compatible with the vehicle's charging system.    

EcoWho Articles where 'passive solar' used:EcoWho blog posts where 'passive solar' used:
  • Passive Solar Design advice
    Passive Solar design can be applied to existing buildings as well as new buildings. We explain some useful techniques and give links to useful resources.
  • EarthCare Centre open day
    The EarthCare Centre in Western Sydney is having an open day on Sustainable House Day
  • Alternative Solar Energy
    Alternative Solar Energy - this phrase often creates images of hippies and flower power... We look at what it really means.
  • Sustainable House Day 2010 in Australia
    Sustainable House Day 2010 is on for Sunday 12th September 2010, we look at how this can help you been more sustainable.
  • Sustainable House and Home
    Sustainable housing, we look into what you need to do to make your house more green and sustainable.
  • Passive Solar
    Passive Solar is often banded around as a good thing to do to make your house more green; we look at it in more detail.
Online tools where 'passive solar' used:
  • Passive Solar Design Eaves Calculator
    Works out the ideal Eave depth for a given height of window and world location; so the Sun comes in in Winter but not Summer, maximizing the passive solar effect.

Related Tags: passive solar, architecture, green building

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passive solar definition.
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Passive Solar Design

Passive Solar Design is undergoing a resurgence as more people not only recognise the comfort benefits and lower energy bills of solar architecture, but now see a way of helping reduce the polluting effects of green house gases through less reliance on fossil fuels for heating and cooling.

Basic house design principles include:
  • Orientation of the main living areas towards the North (or South if in the Northern hemisphere)
  • Glazing used to trap the warmth of the Sun.
  • Thermal mass to store the heat from the Sun.
  • Insulation to reduce heat loss or heat gain.
  • Ventilation to capture cooling breezes.
A well designed solar home should remain within 18 degrees C to 28 degrees C throughout the year and save 60% to 70% in average household heating costs.

EcoWho Articles where 'passive solar' used:
  • Low Allergen Building Design
    Low allergen design is a whole building approach that aims to reduce and avoid all known allergens, and to minimize the conditions in which they occur. This article shows you how.
  • The importance of building orientation
    Building orientation to the Sun is important to reduce energy consumption, keeping comfortable and saving money. This article explains how best to get building orientation correct. Through a combination of benefits and opportunities the correct building orientation could save you thousands.
  • What is Passive Solar?
    Passive solar building design is explained and how passive solar principals are used to design green homes and buildings, and save you money.
EcoWho blog posts where 'passive solar' used:Online tools where 'passive solar' used:
  • Passive Solar Design Eaves Calculator
    Works out the ideal Eave depth for a given height of window and world location; so the Sun comes in in Winter but not Summer, maximizing the passive solar effect.
News & Blog articles where 'passive solar' used:

Related Tags: passive solar, green building, thermal mass, solar homes

Search the Web for Passive Solar Design
What is passive solar?
passive solar definition.
About passive solar.
Passive Solar Energy

Passive Solar Energy is the energy captured by a building from the Sun and used to either heat or cool a building.


The heating is usually a direct mechanism, where as the cooling is done by using the Sun's energy to help displace heat within a building, for instance by 'sucking' air through a property using a roof ventilation system.

News & Blog articles where 'passive solar' used:

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passive solar definition.
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Passive Solar Heating

A Carbon Tax is a government imposed taxation on source goods and services in an attempt to reduce the production of carbon into the atmosphere.

Usually implemented as a form of 'at source' taxation; i.e. those whom manufacturer or consume the most carbon pay and everybody else on the supply chain picks up the price increase. This is often encountered with a carbon credit scheme, by which carbon producers can 'offset' their taxable carbon emissions against less carbon intense production methods.

As always with such schemes, the devil is in the detail; in particular there has been problems in the past with carbon fraud.

Note: This equally applies to the energy production sector as basic manufacturing; say if coal is being used as a source of electrical power.

EcoWho Articles where 'passive solar' used:News & Blog articles where 'passive solar' used:

Related Tags: passive solar, thermal mass

Search the Web for Passive Solar Heating
What is passive solar?
passive solar definition.
About passive solar.

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A free Android app containing all these definitions is now available, called the Green Dictionary. Click here to see the entry on the Android market; or click here if on an Android phone.