Sherri & Michael- The batteries used in the past were lead-acid, refillable or sealed (like deep cycle marine, lawn mower, etc.). The technology has gone from that to nickel-iron to salt water/manganese dioxide batteries but the most promise lies in the Lithiumion battery, similar to what is being used in newer electric vehicles. This may help in your research.

Solar Cell Efficiency and Advancements

How it WorksF1. Silicon Solar Cell Operation

Current Technology

Speaker Notes:

Efficiency is the percentage of light that is converted to electricityCurrent Technology

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Efficiency is the percentage of light that is converted to electricityMost commercial Photo Voltaic panels are made from single layer crystalline silicon.Current Technology

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Efficiency is the percentage of light that is converted to electricityMost commercial Photo Voltaic panels are made from single layer crystalline silicon.Commercial PV panels average at 15% with the highest being 25.2% (Cousins2016)Current Technology

Speaker Notes:

Efficiency is the percentage of light that is converted to electricityMost commercial Photo Voltaic panels are made from single layer crystalline silicon.Commercial PV panels average at 15% with the highest being 25.2% (Cousins2016)The highest achieved was 46% with a multi-layer, focused sun (concentrator) cell.Current Technology

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New Advancements

Perovskite Solar Cells

Speaker Notes:

Pros

Perovskite Solar Cells

Speaker Notes:

ProsFlexible (200 times thinner than silicon cells)

Perovskite Solar Cells

Speaker Notes:

ProsFlexible (200 times thinner than silicon cells)Inexpensive to make

Perovskite Solar Cells

Speaker Notes:

ProsFlexible (200 times thinner than silicon cells)Inexpensive to makeEasy to apply (can be sprayed or brushed on)

Perovskite Solar Cells

Speaker Notes:

ProsFlexible (200 times thinner than silicon cells)Inexpensive to makeEasy to apply (can be sprayed or brushed on)Multiple colors

Perovskite Solar Cells

Speaker Notes:

ProsFlexible (200 times thinner than silicon cells)Inexpensive to makeEasy to apply (can be sprayed or brushed on)Multiple colorsEfficiency as high as 22% has been achieved

Perovskite Solar Cells

Speaker Notes:

ProsFlexible (200 times thinner than silicon cells)Inexpensive to makeEasy to apply (can be sprayed or brushed on)Multiple colorsEfficiency as high as 22% has been achievedCons

Perovskite Solar Cells

Speaker Notes:

ProsFlexible (200 times thinner than silicon cells)Inexpensive to makeEasy to apply (can be sprayed or brushed on)Multiple colorsEfficiency as high as 22% has been achievedConsNot stable (rapid degradation from temperature and moisture changes)

Perovskite Solar Cells

Speaker Notes:

ProsFlexible (200 times thinner than silicon cells)Inexpensive to makeEasy to apply (can be sprayed or brushed on)Multiple colorsEfficiency as high as 22% has been achievedConsNot stable (rapid degradation from temperature and moisture changes)Potential for lead contamination (UoNSW2016)

Perovskite Solar Cells

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Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

F2. Dye Sensitized Solar CellSpeaker Notes:

Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

F2. Dye Sensitized Solar Cell ProsSpeaker Notes:

Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

F2. Dye Sensitized Solar Cell ProsLow costSpeaker Notes:

Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

F2. Dye Sensitized Solar Cell ProsLow costLow weight, flexible and thinSpeaker Notes:

Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

F2. Dye Sensitized Solar Cell ProsLow costLow weight, flexible and thinTransmit light/translucent (can be sandwiched between layers of glass)Speaker Notes:

Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

F2. Dye Sensitized Solar Cell ProsLow costLow weight, flexible and thinTransmit light/translucent (can be sandwiched between layers of glass)Can generate power from indirect and man-made light sourcesSpeaker Notes:

Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

F2. Dye Sensitized Solar Cell ProsLow costLow weight, flexible and thinTransmit light/translucent (can be sandwiched between layers of glass)Can generate power from indirect and man-made light sourcesConsSpeaker Notes:

Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

F2. Dye Sensitized Solar Cell ProsLow costLow weight, flexible and thinTransmit light/translucent (can be sandwiched between layers of glass)Can generate power from indirect and man-made light sourcesConsCurrent max reliable efficiency of 10% (Jacoby2016)Speaker Notes:

Organic Photovoltaics

Speaker Notes:

ProsOrganic Photovoltaics

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ProsThin, light weight, and flexibleOrganic Photovoltaics

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ProsThin, light weight, and flexibleWell suited for the outside of buildings and irregular shaped objects.Organic Photovoltaics

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ProsThin, light weight, and flexibleWell suited for the outside of buildings and irregular shaped objects.ConsOrganic Photovoltaics

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ProsThin, light weight, and flexibleWell suited for the outside of buildings and irregular shaped objects.Cons11.5% max achieved efficiencyOrganic Photovoltaics

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ProsThin, light weight, and flexibleWell suited for the outside of buildings and irregular shaped objects.Cons11.5% max achieved efficiencyLack of manufacturers and production to make it low cost.Organic Photovoltaics

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Quantum Dot PhotovoltaicsSpeaker Notes:

ProsQuantum Dot PhotovoltaicsSpeaker Notes:

ProsLow cost manufacturingQuantum Dot PhotovoltaicsSpeaker Notes:

ProsLow cost manufacturingCan be manufactured with high-speed printing techniquesQuantum Dot PhotovoltaicsSpeaker Notes:

ProsLow cost manufacturingCan be manufactured with high-speed printing techniquesSmall size (1-10 nanometers), can be combined with other types of solar technology to increase efficiencyQuantum Dot PhotovoltaicsSpeaker Notes:

ProsLow cost manufacturingCan be manufactured with high-speed printing techniquesSmall size (1-10 nanometers), can be combined with other types of solar technology to increase efficiencyConsQuantum Dot PhotovoltaicsSpeaker Notes:

ProsLow cost manufacturingCan be manufactured with high-speed printing techniquesSmall size (1-10 nanometers), can be combined with other types of solar technology to increase efficiencyConsCurrent maximum efficiency of 11.3%Quantum Dot PhotovoltaicsSpeaker Notes:

ProsLow cost manufacturingCan be manufactured with high-speed printing techniquesSmall size (1-10 nanometers), can be combined with other types of solar technology to increase efficiencyConsCurrent maximum efficiency of 11.3%Very few manufacturersQuantum Dot PhotovoltaicsSpeaker Notes:

F1. https://www.nrel.gov/pv/assets/images/efficiency-chart.png

Solar Battery Advantages and Disadvantages

According to U.S. Solar Energy Monitor, Lithium-ion batteries are the most common storage used. (Solar Power World, 2017)

The future of Tesla Powerwall;making solar power more efficient

Tesla Powerball is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery used to store energy for residents to use for numerous situations such as solar power generation and emergency backup power. Tesla Powerball works with the local grid to draw excess power, which provides customers the flexibility to draw energy from their own reserve, thus making solar power more efficient. (Tesla Energy, 2017).Speaker Notes:

The Benefits of Powerwall BatterySpeaker Notes:

Stores surplus solar energy that can be used later.

Provides financial savings by charging during low rate periods.

Uses back up power in the event there is an outage.

(Tesla Energy, 2017).

The grid connected solar power systems usually consist of solar panels mounted to the residence or business with a power inverter and meter installed inside or outside the location. The power generated is used by your electrical appliances and equipment first with any excess power not consumed fed back into the supply grid adding credit to your electricity bill. At night when the sun is not shining the building uses power from the supply grid as normal. In most cases the electric/power company will lease and install the necessary equipment. The picture below depicts a common set-up for a on-the-grid solar power system.

Source: AISA. (n.d.). Grid-tied solar pv electric power. In Great solar works. Retrieved from http://www.solarwork.com/greatsolar_solarpvelectric.html

Leased or purchased solar panels and equipment / Power meter / Solar InverterThis can be a costly investment to purchase so leasing is more common

Net MeteringSolar panels will often generate more electricity than what you are capable of consuming. With net metering, homeowners can put this excess electricity onto the utility grid instead of storing it themselves with batteries.Net metering plays an important role in how solar power is incentivized. Without it, residential solar systems would be much less feasible from a financial point of view.

Utility GridAdditional perks of being grid-tied include access to backup power from the utility grid (in case your solar system stop generating electricity for one reason or another). At the same time you help to mitigate the utility company`s peak load. As a result, the efficiency of the electrical system as a whole goes up.

Source: Maehlum, M. A. (2013, August 14). Grid-Tied, Off-Grid and Hybrid Solar Systems. In Energy informative. Retrieved from http://energyinformative.org/grid-tied-off-grid-and-hybrid-solar-systems/

On-Grid Solar PowerSpeaker Notes:

On-Grid Solar Power

Source: AISA. (n.d.). Grid-tied solar pv electric power. In Great solar works. Retrieved from http://www.solarwork.com/greatsolar_solarpvelectric.html

Requirements:

Leased or purchased solar panels and equipment that meet providers specs

Power meter that meet providers specs

Solar Inverter to invert the DC voltage power from solar panels to AC power

The most common type of solar power system used is a grid-tied solar system; however, owners of residential and small scale commercial structures which are located in remote areas and do not have utility power, typically only have two choices in regards to power. You can either pay the utility to run transmission lines to your home, which can be expensive, or install your own power source, such as an off-grid solar system. An off-grid solar system utilizes an array of deep-cycle batteries to store the power generated by your solar panels. The batteries are connected to an inverter, similar to the one you would use for a grid-tied solar system, which then converts the battery bank voltage to 120VAC that is then used by all your standard appliances and lighting. The layout is slightly different than a grid-tied solar system, and is shown in the graphic below.

Properly Sized Solar Array Your solar array must be sized large enough to enable fully charging the batteries for overnight use, as well as suppling power during the day. The array must be slightly oversized to account for a seasonal average number of cloudy days.

Battery BankYour solar array only provides power during the day, and the amount can vary depending on the weather, the season, and time of day. Because of this, you need a battery bank to not only store power for use during times of bad weather or no sun, but to provide a stable power source.

Charge Controllers Proper charging/discharging of the batteries will maximize the battery's life. This is accomplished this through the use of a solar charge controller. The charge controller not only regulates the charging of the batteries, but also allows for a higher voltage solar array to charge a lower voltage battery bank.

Solar Inverter The inverter in an off-grid system is "inverting" the direct current (DC) voltage from the battery bank to alternating current (AC) for use with your standard appliances and lighting.

Source: Off-grid solar power systems. (2016). In solar power planet earth. Retrieved from http://solarpowerplanetearth.com/offgridsolarsystems.htmlOff-Grid Solar PowerSpeaker Notes:

Solar Battery Advantages and Disadvantages

Requirements:Properly sized solar array to meet your storage/use needBattery bank sized to match solar array & charge cycleCharger controller to manage energy distribution to battery bankSolar Inverter to invert the DC voltage power from battery bank to 120V AC power

Source: Off-grid solar power systems. (2016). In solar power planet earth. Retrieved from http://solarpowerplanetearth.com/offgridsolarsystems.html

Hybrid solar systems combines the best from grid-tied and off-grid solar systems. These systems can either be described as off-grid solar with utility backup power, or grid-tied solar with extra battery storage. The introduction of hybrid solar systems has opened up for many interesting innovations. New inverters let homeowners take advantage of changes in the utility electricity rates throughout the day. Consequently, you can temporarily store whatever excess electricity your solar panels in batteries, and put it on the utility grid when you are paid the most for every kWh.

Requirements Charge Controller Battery Bank Battery-Based Grid-Tie-Inverter Power Meter

Hybrid solar systems utilize batter-based grid-tie inverters. These devices combine can draw electrical power to and from battery banks, as well as synchronize with the utility grid.

Advantages can save money vs other systems in certain situations

Disadvantages still needs to be tied to the grid and requires more components than both off/on-grid systems

Source: Maehlum, M. A. (2013, August 14). Grid-Tied, Off-Grid and Hybrid Solar Systems. In Energy informative. Retrieved from http://energyinformative.org/grid-tied-off-grid-and-hybrid-solar-systems/

Hybrid Solar SystemSpeaker Notes:

Characteristics:

Requires charge controller, battery bank, battery-based grid-tie-inverter, power meter

Advantages- can save money vs other systems in certain situations

Disadvantages- still needs to be tied to the grid and requires more components than both off/on-grid systems

Hybrid Solar System

Source: Maehlum, M. A. (2013, August 14). Grid-Tied, Off-Grid and Hybrid Solar Systems. In Energy informative. Retrieved from http://energyinformative.org/grid-tied-off-grid-and-hybrid-solar-systems/

Current Photovoltaics (PV) systems can last up to about 100 years. There is only a small degradation of performance - about a half of one percent per year. So a PV system after 50 years will still produce electricity at 75% of its original performance. Once installed, PV systems need very little maintenance so that the total lifetime cost is mostly just the initial price of the equipment and land. This chart uses a weighted average (weighted by annual output performance) for the cost for the current year plus all previous years for each data point. Once the initial cost of the system is paid for (assumed to be 20 years) the cost of running a PV system is almost zero, whereas for coal and other fossil fuels there is the cost of fuel each and every year. In addition, costs for fossil fuels may creep up due to raw material costs, shipping costs, and possibly carbon dioxide taxes. At an installed price of $1.25 per watt, the cost of PV solar is always cheaper than coal. At $2 per watt, it is cheaper after year 40. At $3.00 per watt, it is cheaper about year 80. It is expected that PV solar costs will reach conventional coal parity by 2017. As a result, no "new" coal plants are expected to be initiated, although some current coal plants will likely be upgraded.LCOE is the Levelized Cost Of Electricity. The LCOE approach allows different technologies to be compared, not only solar approaches, but fossil fuels and nuclear as well. The Total Life Cycle Cost is the present value of all the components of cost over the useful life of the installation minus the depreciation tax benefit and residual value. The Total Lifetime Energy Production is all the useful energy produced by the installation over its total life.

Source: Solar electricity costs. (n.d.). In Solar central. Retrieved from http://solarcellcentral.com/cost_page.html

Cost Comparison:Solar Power vs Fossil FuelSpeaker Notes:

Cost Comparison:Solar Power vs Fossil FuelSpeaker Notes:

At an installed price of $1.25 per watt, the cost of PV solar is always cheaper than coal. At $2 per watt, it is cheaper after year 40. At $3.00 per watt, it is cheaper about year 80. It is expected that PV solar costs will reach conventional coal parity by 2017.

Utility Cost Of ElectricityThe cost calculations for a utility installation are quite complex. In principle they are simple:

Battery University. (2011). Weird and wonderful batteries. Retrieved from http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/archive/weird_and_wonderful_batteries

Cousins, P. (Jun2016). Solar Technology Efficiency: More Breakthroughs are Coming. http://Us.Sunpower.com

EzineMark. (2013). Advantages and disadvantages of lead acid batteries. Retrieved fromhttp://lead.ezinemark.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-lead-acid-batteries-3229db78a14.html

Jacoby, M. (May2016). The future of low-cost solar cells. C&EN. V94, I18, pp30-35. Retrieved from http://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i18/future-low-cost-solar-cells.html

Radio-Electronics. (n.d.). Lithium ion battery advantages and disadvantages. Retrieved fromhttp://www.radio-electronics.com/info/power-management/battery-technology/lithium-ion-battery-advantages-disadvantages.php

Tesla Energy. (2017). Tesla. Retrieved from https://www.tesla.com/presskit/teslaenergy

University of New South Wales. (December 2016). Perovskite solar cells hit new world efficiency record. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 12, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161201114543.htm

Zipp, K. (February 9, 2017). What is the best type of battery for solar storage? Solar power world. Retrieved from http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2015/08/what-is-the-best-type-of-battery-for-solar-storage/

References