We've used the Sun for drying clothes and food for thousands of years, but only recently have we been able to use it for generating power.
The Sun is 150 million kilometres away, and amazingly powerful.
Just the tiny fraction of the Sun's energy that hits the Earth (around a hundredth of a millionth of a percent) is enough to meet all our power needs many times over.
In fact, every minute, enough energy arrives at the Earth to meet our demands for a whole year - if only we could harness it properly.
Solar cells provide the energy to run satellites that orbit the Earth. These give us satellite TV, telephones, navigation, weather forecasting, the internet and all manner of other facilities
Advantages
- Solar energy is free - it needs no fuel and produces no waste or pollution.
- In sunny countries, solar power can be used where there is no easy way to get electricity to a remote place.
- Handy for low-power uses such as solar powered garden lights and battery chargers, or for helping your home energy bills.
Disadvantages
- Doesn't work at night.
- Very expensive to build solar power stations.
Solar cells cost a great deal compared to the amount of electricity they'll produce in their lifetime. - Can be unreliable unless you're in a very sunny climate. In the United Kingdom, solar power isn't much use for high-power applications, as you need a large area of solar panels to get a decent amount of power. However, technology has now reached the point where it can make a big difference to your home fuel bills..
Solar power is renewable. The Sun will keep on shining anyway, so it makes sense to use it.
www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/solar.htm
I´m very glad to start a new course with my new students and I hope you all be satisfied with my classes. This blog will provide you with relevant information related to the classes. I´ll post the activities done in class and also the links to exercises taken from other sources. There´s no excuse to come to class with your homework undone.
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL A/C
- After introducing myself , you were given the students´cards to fill with your data.
- General information about Langreo EOI, term assessments and Certificación.
- Entry test with answers and a short composition about your holidays to check your level.
- Speaking: Students book, p.4 "What´s in a name?" , a quiz to do with your classmate about different popular names.
- Phonetics: pronunciation of these names.
- Homework: speaking activity in St.B. page 6. "What´s in a name?. Don´t write anything, you have the questions to guide you through the speaking.
BASIC LEVEL A/B
- I introduced myself and then I gave you the students´cards to complete with your personal information. You also completed a form for a library card to borrow books and films in English.
- A power point with general information about the EOI, classes,books, exams and important you have to know.
- An entry test to know your level of English. You checked the answers which were on the blackboard.
- In group A I had time to see some classroom vocabulary.