Fig. 4.The Solar Energy Sputnik,

 generating electricity from the sunlight

The most efficient way of generating electricity from sunlight, however, seems to be the 'solar battery'. The first of this type was demonstrated in 1954 by a team of scientists from the American Bell Laboratories. It operated with semi-conductor crystals similar to those used in transistors either of germanium or of silicon. When sunlight strikes such a crystal, an electric current is gen­erated. A Bell battery of 400 silicon cells was able to pro­duce a 12-volt current. Since its first demonstration, the solar battery has been extensively developed and has taken part in one of Man's greatest adventures — the sending of satellites and rocket vehicles into space. Solar batteries, as well as the already mentioned atomic batteries, are very suitable for powering the transmitters in space vehicles because of their long life.

French scientists have designed a solar lamp. It is about as big as a small suitcase; at the top it has a collec­tor panel consisting of a few dozen photo-sensitive silicon cells, and the solar energy which they collect is stored in a small accumulator. The underside of the 'suitcase' consists of a fluorescent tube. During day-time the device is put out in the sun, and in the evening it is taken indoors and the lamp switched on. Depending on the time the col­lector has been exposed to the sun the lamp will then shine for a few hours.

In the 1950' s, the Solar Energy Committee of the Brit­ish National Physical Laboratory made a suggestion which could help to provide tropical regions with perpetual ener­gy: the planting of quick-growing forest wood such as eucalyptus, and its continuous combustion in medium-size power stations. A few square miles of eucalyptus forest would yield enough wood to fire the boilers of the power station for ever because the wood would grow as fast as it is used up.

PHRASES & WORD COMBINATIONS TO THE TEXT

1. its mod­ern off-spring is – ее современным воплощением является

2. usually a coil of pipes – змеевик

EXERCISES

TASK 1. Answer the questions:

1.What is the most primitive device for catching the heat of the sun? ___________

__________________________________________________________________

2.How do different countries use the sun energy? __________________________

__________________________________________________________________

3.Who suggested the introduction of a cheap solar cooker? ___________________

__________________________________________________________________

4.What is the most efficient way of generating electricity? ___________________

__________________________________________________________________

5. What is the solar battery? ____________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

6. Who has designed a solar lamp? ______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

7. What does the lamp consist of? _______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

8. What suggestion the Solar Energy Committee of the Brit­ish National Physical Laboratory made to provide tropical regions with perpetual ener­gy? ____________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. What does electricity from eucalyptus show? ____________________________

__________________________________________________________________

10. To­day it is the amount of horsepower or kilowatt-hours avail­able to everybody which indicates the degree of civiliza­tion, isn’t it? __________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

TASK 2. Match the equivalents:

Solar lamp, crystal, arrangement, glass roof, reflecting mirror, abundance, supply, water circulating, solar water-heater, device.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

кристалл

циркуляция воды

стеклянная крыша

солнечная лампа

солнечный водонагреватель

устройство

отражающее зеркало

снабжать

избыток

TASK 3. Continue the sentenses according to the text:

1. The most primitive device for catching and trapping the heat of the sun__________________________________________________________

2. The water circulating in the pipes is heated________________________________________________________

3. In Florida alone ________________________________________________

4. India has______________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

5. The Indian National Physical Laboratory___________________________

__________________________________________________________________

6. Another very important device____________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

7. French scientists________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

8. The Solar Energy Committee of the Brit­ish National Physical Laboratory__

__________________________________________________________________

9. Electricity from eucalyptus_______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

10.  In the old days________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

TASK 4. Translate into English:

Наиболее эффективный способ генерации электричества солнечного света - солнечная батарея. Первая была продемонстрирована в 1954 группой ученых из Американской Лаборатории. Когда солнечный свет попадает на такой кристалл, возникает электрический ток. Свою первую демонстрацию солнечная батарея произвела, когда принимала участие в отправке спутников и ракет в космос. Солнечные батареи, а также атомные батареи, очень важны для снабжения энергией приборов в космосе.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________