SOLAR TECHNOLOGY: UTILIZATION AND EFFECTIVENESS

Nicolas Pita

ITMG 100 06

HOW SOLAR TECHNOLOGY BEGAN

1839 when scientist Edmund Becquerel noted that some chemicals give off electricity when exposed to sunlight.

The first instance of actually using this knowledge to produce usable energy occurred in the 1950’s. Scientists at the Bell Labs created solar cells using silicon that directly converted four percent of the energy in sunlight to electricity.

HOW ENERGY IS CREATED

The main elements of photovoltaic cells, or PV cell, are a negative and positive layer of semiconductor materials. This creates an electric field that allows electrons to flow freely in between both layers. As sunlight hits these PV cells its energy disrupts the existing electric current scattering the electrons.

POLYCRYSTALLINE CELLS

The most commonly used PV cell, accounting for about sixty-two percent of the world’s PV market. It also has the middle cost between the two and in turn the median efficiency. They are produced by cutting squares out of molten silicon sheets and packing them closely together on metal panels.

SINGLE-CRYSTAL CELLS

The most efficient energy-producing PV cell, but also the priciest. Its structure consists of round or hexagonal wafers cut out of long cylinders. This process has high-labor and material costs but can produce up to twenty-five percent of usable energy.

AMORPHOUS SILICON PANELS

The most cost-efficient PV cell made by spraying silicon onto a glass or metal. Unfortunately its efficiency suffers, producing about five percent of usable energy.

LARGEST SOLAR POWER PLANT

The largest plant is in Gujaret, India. It provides India with 600 Megawatts of electricity daily and cost 2.3 billion dollars.

TOP 10 SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCING COUNTRIES

USD AND SOLAR POWER

In November of 2010 AM Solar joined forces with USD to install 5,200 solar panels on the roofs of 11 buildings on the USD campus.

At the completion date of the project USD was ranked as the 10th largest solar power producer out of all the universities in the United States. The University forecasted a reduction of approximately $100,000 a year in energy costs.

http://www.10news.com/news/usd-activates-new-solar-panel-system

NEW SOLAR INNOVATIONS

A large part of the research and development has gone towards creating more efficient and affordable PV cells.

In a recent effort to increase efficiency MIT researchers rearrange the structure of the PV units rather than the components.

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2012/three-dimensional-solar-energy-0327.html

REFERENCES

"How Solar Energy Works." Ucsusa.org. Union of Concerned Scientists, 16 Dec. 2009. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/how-solar-energy-works.html>.

  "10News - USD Activates New Solar Panel System - News Story." 10News.com. American

Broadcasting Corporation, 17 Nov. 2010. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.10news.com/news/usd-activates-new-solar-panel-system>.

  Mathias. "Worldâ ��s Largest Solar PV Power Plant Added to Indiaâ ��s Grid."CleanTechnica. N.p., 20

Apr. 2012. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://cleantechnica.com/2012/04/20/worlds-largest-solar-pv-power-plant-added-to-indias-grid/>.

  Chandler, David L. "A New Dimension for Solar Energy." Web.mit.edu. Massachusetts Institute

of Technology, 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2012/three-dimensional-solar-energy-0327.html>.

  "Solar Energy Statistics." Statisticbrain.com. N.p., 26 July 2012. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.

<http://www.statisticbrain.com/solar-energy-statistics/>.