3.5.1 Types of Solar Panel a) Monocrystalline panels The silicon bars mainly described as solar cells are cutted in form of slices parallel to each other . The whole cell is set to be in one direction.it will show its max output when it gets making exposure of sun. They have a blackish color because they are absorbing most of the light Figure 26 :Monocrystalline Panels Advantages 1) Monocrystalline solar panels have the highest efficiency rates since they are made out of the highest-grade silicon. 2) Monocrystalline silicon solar panels are space-efficient. Since these solar panels yield the highest power outputs, they also require the least amount of space compared to any other types. 3) Monocrystalline solar panels …show more content…
2) If the solar panel is partially covered with shade, dirt or snow, the entire circuit can break down. . . 3) Monocrystalline solar panels tend to be more efficient in warm weather. Performance suffers as temperature goes up, but less so than polycrystalline solar panels. b) Polycrsytalline Panels Polycrystalline panels consist of cuts silicon, molded into blocks and create a cell formed by several pieces of clear glass. Because the individual crystals are not necessarily all perfectly aligned with one another and leaks at junctions between them which are not as efficient. However, this misalignment can help in some cases, because the cells work better light at all angles, low light, etc. The appearance is also different - you can see the arrangement of crystal randomly and panels you see a little more blue, and reflect part of the light. Figure 27 :polycrystalline Panels Advantages 1) The process used to manufacture polysilicon is simpler and less cost. The amount of silicon waste is less compared to monocrystalline. 2) polycrystalline solar panels tend to have heat tolerance slightly less than that of monocrystalline solar panels. This technically means that they perform slightly worse than monocrystalline solar panels at high
The Solyndra Company, founded in 2005 by Christian Gronet, designed, manufactured, and sold a unique type of solar panels. They were termed “solar photovoltaic (PV) systems” and were designed for large, flat to low sloped commercial building roofs. The panels were designed to have the best performance when mounted horizontally and to be installed very close together so that they covered a much higher percentage of the roof top thus producing more electricity than the typical flat panel solar panels by comparison. This was created through the production by absorbing light from all directions including indirect and reflected light as well as direct sunlight when combined with a white roof. This was due to the design of having rolled its copper indium gallium selenite or CIGS into a cylindrical shape. Each tube had 40 of them in each 1-meter-by-2-meter panel (Solyndra, 2008).
Photovoltaic cells are found everywhere today: your home, work buildings, schools, and more. There are two types of Photovoltaic Cells: Organic and Inorganic. The type of cell that are most often found and used are inorganic cells. Inorganic cells are known to produce much more energy than organic cells. Although the main element used in these inorganic cells is Silicon, there are many more elements that are used in inorganic photovoltaic cells. There is monocrystalline, polycrystalline, amorphous, and microcrystalline Si, the III-V compounds and alloys, CdTe, and the chalcopyrite compound, copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS). These photovoltaic cells are built for large scale power generations. All of these semiconductors have energy band gaps between 1.1-1.7 eV.
The sun has been a major aspect of life since the beginning of time. People used many other forms of energy before electricity was discovered. There has been a debate over energy resources for years. Many people are worried about what current energy resources may be doing to the environment. Oil spills and nuclear power plant mishaps have only been a few accidents that have had a big impact on the environment and the people who inhabit it. There are plenty of energy sources that do not harm the environment and are still able to get the job done. Solar energy is one energy alternative that will insure the betterment of the country and, at the same time, protect the natural environment.
The effectiveness of PV module depends on how perpendicular the sunrays fall on the PV. If PV is facing toward the sun, it produces maximum power. Stationary solar panels cannot face toward the sun all day as sun moves. However, maximum radiation depends on two other aspects of stationary solar panels. One is the direction and the other is the tilt angle of the panels. A meter long panels can generate maximum of 1000W, if sunlight strikes directly on it. Few factors affect the sunlight strikes a PV panel. When the sunlight passes through the air, air molecules such as dust, vapor, clouds, volcanoes can absorb some of the radiation. This absorbed part of radiation is known as diffuse solar radiation. Atmospheric conditions have great effect on solar radiation. The solar radiation can decrease 10% to 100% depending on
A Photovoltaic solar cell (PVSC) is an electrical device which converts light from the visible spectrum into direct current (DC) electricity (Honsberg). The International Space Station (ISS) originally used purified silicon solar cells for electrical generation. Silicon cells were primarily used as a result of their relatively light weight and heat conduction properties (Wittry, 2005). In 2001, two 38ft x 239ft solar panels were installed on the ISS. The new cells were multi junction solar cells comprised of gallium indium phosphate on gallium arsenide on germanium. The germanium based cell resists oxidation, unlike its silicon oxide counterpart that experienced degradation in the upper atmosphere due to exposure to oxygen (Wiebusch, 2001). Furthermore, the Silicon based solar cell (deployed on the
There are currently three types of solar cells- first generation, second generation, and third generation, where each generation aims to address a certain problem with solar cells. First generation cells aim to make as many cells as possible, second generation aim to make highly effective solar panels, and third generation cells try to create the most cost
Most solar cells are made of crystalline silicon. Pure silicon has 14 electrons that form 3 different tiers around the individual atom. In the last tier there are only 4 electrons, but as each tier desires 5 electrons there is one missing from this tier. To fill the last spot the electrons will join together to share their electrons. This linking is what forms the crystalline structure, which is vital for photovoltaic cells. (Aldous 2006)
Nanotechnology is the answer for solar energy. With electrical device being used 24/7 and electricity on high demand, we need to constantly produce energy. Nanotechnology can help rise efficiency up to 40% which allows a normal panel module to produce around 30 watts per square foot. That’s 1.3 mWh for one acre. With this advancement in the process of development, soon there won’t be any energy crisis.
Siegel, RP. "Solar Thermal: Pros and Cons - Part 1: Solar Heating and Cooling." Triple Pundit RSS. N.p., 21 May 2012. Web. 04 Mar. 2014. .
According to Mr. Solar.com, “this type of energy production, known as the Photovoltaic Effect, is achieved by solar panels converting sunlight into energy. Solar panels are made up of several individual solar cells, composed of layers of silicon, phosphorous (which provides the negative charge), and boron (which provides the positive charge). Solar panels absorb the sunlight’s photons and by doing so initiate an electric current, producing electrons. The resulting energy generated from photons striking the surface of the solar panel allows electrons to be knocked out of their atomic orbits and released into an electric field generated by the solar cells, which then pull these free electrons into a DC or directional current.” This electricity then proceeds to a mechanical room beneath our house to a charge controller, which regulates the amount of energy sent to our 24V batteries to be stored.
How Efficient is Solar Energy Technology? Engineering Challenges. n. d. a. d. a. d. d. 8 April 2014. http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9082.aspx>. How do Nuclear Plants Work?”
I am certain that all have heard of the terms green house gases, fossil fuels, and global warming. Have you ever questioned what will happen if nothing is done about the environmental problems facing the world today? What if I answer you that, we can merely use the power from the sun to power up our entire planet without the use of harmful energy sources, which affect our atmosphere? The power from the sun is what we call solar power. Solar power is the energy that comes from the sun as light and heat energy, and then it is later converted into electrical energy through solar panels (Nelson, 2008). This kind of power is completely free, right? Why should we put a lot of expense on other sources of energy, when there is a complete free and healthy power? It is evident that solar energy is a healthy source of energy, which will help stop global warming all together, but it is economically efficient to switch everything to solar energy. Solar energy is capable of becoming the world's future power supply because, it is renewable, eco-friendly, and extremely efficient when strategically placed.
The photovoltaic effect, electricity can be created directly from sunlight. Some semi-conductor materials that are exposed to sunlight can create electron-hole pairs, which can be collected to produce electricity. This occurs when photons have energy above a certain threshold. These photons have shorter wavelengths. In silicon, the threshold for electron-hole production is in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
When the sun heats the panel, it generates clean energy, which does not pollute the environment. All in all, the costs of solar power might not be applicable when it is certainly the best way to have a clean environment.
Global warming is an extremely important and troubling aspect of the world’s current situation. This is due to the fact that the majority of the world’s energy production is from non-renewable energy sources, which are energy sources that either can not be naturally replenished or require thousands of years to be restored. Based on our current energy usage growth rates, there are an estimated 100 years left before our natural resource reserves are exhausted. (Non Renewable Natural Resources: How Much Is Left, Environmental Thinker) China alone consumes nearly as much coal as the combined usage of coal from the rest of the world. (US Energy Information Administration, China Consumes Nearly as Much Coal as the Rest of the World Combined) There is visible evidence of this happening with the increasing pollution levels. Carbon Dioxide and Methane pollution levels in the world reached a record high in 2012 and are 260% higher than the pre-industrial levels. (UN: CO2 Pollution Levels at a Record High, John Heilprin) Converting our world into a more renewable energy dependent society is the most advantageous and likely method for preserving our dwindling fossil fuel supply while also protecting the world that we call home.