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When was solar energy invented
When was solar energy invented
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Solar Cells - Energy of the Future Solar cells have been around since 1883, when the first solar cell was created. Even though they have been around for so long, many people still wonder why they have not been implemented into wide-scale usage already. Solar cells today are highly efficient and can provide enough energy to power many cities today. But what is holding them back from being used in developing countries that have a chance to base their society around them, or in already developed countries? Simply put- the cost. Before I go in to detail about usage and implementation of solar cells, let me explain just how they work. Solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells (Photo= light Voltaic=electricity) capture photons, convert them into electrons, and use these electrons to transfer energy to whatever you want to power. To do this, solar cells are made with a material called a semiconductor, which, for solar cells is almost always silicon. When light hits this material, it causes electrons to break loose and flow throughout the material. By placing metal plates on the solar cell, we can capture this flow of electrons, otherwise known as current. Using the equation Power= Volts * Current, you can calculate the voltage output of a cell, which, using silicon, is about 1.1 volts- a 25% or so efficiency. 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 efficient solar panels. In this paper, I will address how and w... ... middle of paper ... ...vernment. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved on 2007-10-02. Government, US. "Government Solar Facts." Multiband Solar Panels. 29 July 2008 . How Stuff Works. "Solar Cells." How Stuff Works. 29 July 2008 . Inc., Energy, comp. "Purchase a Solar Cell." Purchase a Solar Cell Today. 29 July 2008 . Irock23. "Yahoo Answers." Yahoo Answers. 29 July 2008 . James, Stuart. "Http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/01/local/me-heat1." La Times 29 July 2008: 15-16. Online, Chemistry, ed. "Solar Powering the World." Solar Energy (Photovoltaic Cells). 29 July 2008 .
efficiency of the solar cells and allow solar energy to become more widespread. Due to the
Abstract: The current energy situation with fossil fuels as the main source of the world’s energy has two main flaws: fossil fuels contribute to global warming via the greenhouse effect and they are limited in the quantity that remains. Solar power solves both of these problems and can be captured by utilizing photovoltaic cells. However, photovoltaic cells have their own drawbacks due to their high costs of installation and maintenance.
Solar energy products can range from solar panels to cell phone charges, and everything in between. Solar energy is becoming a popular way to fuel homes throughout the United States. All over the country, people are covering their rooftops with solar panels, heating their pools with solar energy, and even turn on the lights in their homes with solar energy. Solar power is quickly becoming America’s most popular form o...
Solar cells directly convert photons from the sun into electricity (Wikipedia). Solar cells that convert both solar and non-solar light are called photovoltaic cells (Wikipedia 2006). They are made of semi conducting materials, most often silicon (Aldous 2006). The simplest photovoltaic cells power watches and calculators while larger, more complex systems can add to the power grid and provide power for homes.
The purer the material, the more expensive it is. So when we rely on these pure silicones, the prices for solar panels will go up as more of purer silicones are required. So even if the efficiency increases for using photovoltaic cells to change solar energy to electricity, the prices will go up, and that does not solve the problem of the high cost.
Rotman, David. "Finding a Solar Solution." Technology Review 2 (2012): 48-51. Print. 22 November 2014.
To begin, we will take a look at solar energy. Solar energy is exactly what is it, energy that comes from the sun. Solar energy is a process in which solar rays or the heat that the sun gives off is collected by solar panels made up off cells called photovoltaic (Toothman). These cells are made of silicon in its crystalline form and other semi conductive materials combined with it. When the sun light hits the silicon, the heat causes the electrons in the material to start moving freely. Then an electric field causes these electrons to move in a form of a current. By conducting that current we can siphon the electricity off into batteries, and store the energy made.
Solar cells are made of a mixture of silicon and other elements in such way that there are extra electrons in one part of the solar cell and missing electrons in the other part of the solar cell.
The main requirement was to make a cheap solar cell, we wanted our solar cell to be cheap for several reasons. The most important reason was of course our budget this may seem like a disadvantage for us but we are not the only one with this problem. The costs of solar panels are currently too high for the majority of the people ((and most of the time the panels can not even ...
Solar power is energy efficient, what is meant by that is that solar power cannot ever run out as long as it is installed properly. Solar power cells is a source of electrical energy that converts a powerful source of energy such as the sun into electricity, using it’s energy to create electrical currents within the solar panel. Solar panels produce electricity using technology called “Solar Photovoltaic (PV)”.
Solar Energy is an alternative electrical energy source. Its a renewable source, because of its abundant supply and limited environmental impact. Solar energy has the ability to power buildings, electronic devices, and spacecrafts through a specific process. The energy is harvested from the sun to made usable, thus it is a renewable form of energy. Solar energy is created by the use of solar panels, a collection of photovoltaic cells (solar cells, that mean light and electricity). The solar panels have a system in which, it collects the sun’s rays and converts it into energy (similar to the organic process of photosynthesis in plants), and sto...
Haley, David S., Jr. The Coming Age of Solar Energy. New York: Harper & Low, 2004. Print.
Green, Martin. Solar Cells: Operating Principles, Technology, and System Applications. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1982.
Solar panels work with what could also be called the photovoltaic process. Where radiation energy is absorbed and creates electricity (voltaic). “Radiation energy is absorbed by semiconductor cells – normally silicon – and transformed from photo energy (light) into voltaic (electrical current). When the sun’s radiation hits a silicon atom, a photon of light energy is absorbed, ‘knocking off’ an electron. These released electrons create an electric current.The electric current then goes to an inverter, which converts the current from DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current). The system is then connected to the mains power or electricity grid” (Greg Whitburn). Solar panels are an incredible source that if you're located in the correct geological are, it makes too much sense to make use of it.
Photovoltaic cells directly convert solar energy into electrical energy through a chemical action taking place in solar cells. They act on the principle of photo-voltaic effect, which develops an emf on absorption of ionizing radiation from sun. It is the most popular technology when it comes to converting solar energy to electric energy. Because of its design, it can even be installed on building roofs making it very popular among