Anna asked:


A solar cell is a device which changes sunlight into electricity. A more technical term for a solar cell is a photovoltaic cell.

The term “photo” derives from the Greek word for “light,” and the term “voltaic” comes from the word “volt” which means “electrical force.” A “cell” is a small receptacle or container containing electrodes which generate power.

Thus, a photovoltaic cell is a container that creates electric force, through light.

Whereas a solar cell can generate electricity from any light source, its intended use is the collection of solar energy from the sun.

How a Solar Cell Works

The solar cell works as follows:

Photons (which are particles of light in sun rays) hit the surface of the solar cell and are absorbed a semiconductor, such as silicon.

These photons (bits of sunlight) knock electrons loose from the atoms inside the semiconductor. The photons then push the electrons along, leaving a “gap” in the atom. Another electron is then pulled from an adjacent atom to fill the gap. And so an electrical flow is generated.

The simplicity of this is that one atom has an extra electron, and the other atom is missing one. This is referred to as a “difference in potential.” Nature, wanting to remain balanced, tries to even things out by pulling another electron from the neighboring atom.

A solar panel is comprised of a group of solar cells which are linked together to produce the desired amount of electrical energy.

A group of solar cells linked together can also be referred to as a “module.” Thus the terms “solar panel,” and “solar module,” are synonymous to each other, and essentially mean the exact same thing. “Solar panel” is the more common term, and “solar module” is the technical term.

One can use solar panels individually or one can link several together in order to generate more electricity. When a group of solar panels are linked together, it is called a “solar array”. The more solar panels are included in a solar array, the more power they produce.

Solar Power is a clean and virtually unlimited source of energy. I say “virtually unlimited” because the sun itself won’t last forever. But we won’t have to worry about that for the next few billion years.

Since solar power is a clean energy source which has been around for decades, one might wonder why its not used more. The answer to this lies partially in the cost of producing solar panels, as well as in the efficiency of the solar panels.

We are currently in the second generation of solar panel technology and verging on the third. A lot has changed since the first generation. Solar panels a are becoming a viable source of clean energy.

The solar cells of earlier times were relatively large and bulky compared to our current models. In view of the amount of energy and material required to produce them, and the amount of energy they actually produced, it was more costly to use solar energy than to use fossil fuels. The only exception was in places where little or no fossil fuels were available, such as in space.

With the second-generation solar cells, we attempted to tackle this exact problem. We attempted improve manufacturing techniques so as to reduce the costs, materials and energy needed for the production of solar cells.

Recently, major advances have been made in the production of solar cells, which have reduced production costs.

One contribution in this area was the development of techniques to coat glass or ceramic materials with very thin layers of semi-conductive substances. This made it possible to produce solar panels using only a fraction of the semi-conductive material that was required earlier. The production of solar panels using this second-generation technology is referred to as “Thin Film Technology.”

Third-generation solar energy technologies are currently being researched and developed. The objective is to improve the power of solar cells even further (while keeping production costs to a minimum) in which case thirty to sixty percent of the sunlight hitting the panels will be converted into electricity. (Currently, solar panels convert only about twenty percent.)

But regardless of third generation solar technology, the second-generation solar cell is efficient enough to make solar technology viable – and a host of new solar-powered products have hit the consumer market.

Solar-powered calculators have been in use for a while now, we’ve all seen them. We have even seen a few other novelty devices. But only in the last few years have solar devices come into serious and practical use.

The last two years in particular have seen a virtual explosion of solar devices hitting the market. Solar flashlights (I’ve often wandered what use they were), solar-powered radios, and, recently, solar battery chargers.

One can also now find a wide range of portable solar chargers and panels, which are lightweight and easy to transport, yet capable of providing a decent amount of power in even the most remote locations. Solar chargers are becoming a standard part of wilderness survival kits and emergency preparedness kits.

All of this is a result of the developments in solar cell technology, and the coming of the Solar Age.



Aaron

M.so asked:


Well, when I think about global warming I think its not going to happen in my life time so whats all the fuss about. We all believe that global warming may only start in around about a million years.

We are wrong! According to scientific research the temperature that the world is at now and the amount of carbon dioxide in the air now rather high. This has happened before the only difference is last time it was this high there was a ice age. There have been five ice ages so far all of them were at the temperature that we are at now. You may think that this is a load of rubbish. But its not and this is how i can prove it. Scientist believed that we would not get frozen over to until we are unfortunately dead. However, scientists have been shocked to realise that the Glaciers are moving quicker then we though. Ladies and Gentleman the world is going through a Ice Age. Don’t you agree it is scary!

I think that we can’t prevent the world going through a ice age however what we do need to work towards is making sure that earth doesn’t explode. Previously when the ice ages happened it was simply a natural cause and we all live however it does make you ask ‘Is it our fault?’. Now that we are using up most of the oil petrol etc. The world is seeking to use a renewable source such as wind turbines and solar panels.

If you look in the long run then using renewable energy sources will lead to a cheaper bill, a better environment and a longer living world. If we carry on the way we are going then we will have a even larger bill, a much worse environment, a shorter living world, a unhappy life, a life of fear and risk, natural disasters. All these may result to death.

By using renewable sources you can really help the environment and more to the point you can help you and have a cheaper bill. Also many gas company’s will simply pay you for creating your own energy.

You may think that this will cost a bomb however scientific research shows that you can make your own energy at a real cheap price. This will allow you to live a better life and you may cut your bills back by eighty percent!

Please save our world!

Click Here to produce your own energy, cut down your bills and most importantly ’save the world.’



Jackie

Y.T. Lee asked:


When the dawn comes and the sun rises, it basks the surface of the earth with its bright and warm light. Most people know that the sun covers only a certain portion of our earth at any given point of time, thereby bringing in dawn, day, evening and night. However few people know that along with its bright and cheery light, the sun also covers the surface of earth with valuable energy in the form of light. If harnessed properly, this energy can be converted to electricity with the help of solar power kits. Few people know about this and keep on paying inflated power bills month in, month out. For ages, most power plants, that provide us with electric energy to run our household electric appliances, have relied on natural sources of fuels for generating electricity.

However, these natural sources of fuel are diminishing and that day is soon approaching when there will be none left. Demand being more than availability, the costs of fuel have gone up, more so recently. The one who feels the pinch are the consumers who have to payer higher electricity bills at the end of every month. The year 2008 has seen a huge slump in global economy and prices of essential commodities have shot up through the roof. As it is, people are finding it tough to make both ends meet and couple to that the increase in fuel bills and you understand the problem the common man faces? Add to this the fact that power bills eat up nearly 30% of our monthly income and you will understand how important it is to go in for alternate sources of power.

Harnessing solar energy for our electricity needs is the best way out and more and more people are moving in the direction to help reduce their monthly expenses without sacrificing on the power they require. There are special photovoltaic power kits available in the market and even a cursory search of the net will reveal many sites that sell them. These kits are quite cheap and any person who knows how to use a soldering iron can assemble them. All kits ship with a comprehensive and illustrated guide to help the user set up the solar panel. Once the kit has been assembled and set up, power from the same can be used directly to run a variety of electric appliances that are within the specified wattage range.

Alternatively you can charge a lead cell with the power emitted from the solar cell and then used the trapped power at night. You will be surprised to observe the reduction of your monthly power bills and within a few months of installation, the kit will pay off for itself. If you want to relieve yourself of the headaches of huge power bills every month, yet want to have the lights on at your residence, solar power kits are your best option. Try them out today and decrease the pressure on your finances.



Philip

Eric L asked:


 

Solar energy for the home can be a great way for you to reduce your reliance on the energy companies and oil prices. As well as decreasing your reliance on fossil fuels you will also be lowering your carbon foot print and making your own contribution to global warming smaller.

 

The only real draw back of using solar energy for the home is that it has a high initial cost to get up and running. There are many state and federal programs that can ease this a bit though, such as grants, tax breaks, and government loans. While the initial investment is high the system will pay for itself eventually by reducing or completely eliminating your current power bill.

 

Solar energy systems also require very little maintenance because there are no moving parts. A solar panel will usually just continue to put out power until something actually damages it. There is some power loss from the panel as it ages but this is a very small amount.

 

A large part of the install can be done by yourself if you are handy around the house but you will need a professional for parts of it, like connecting your system to the grid. There may also be certain items that will require a professional depending on the building codes for your local area.

 

The very basics of the system are the panels, the inverter, the interlock, and the monitoring equipment.

 

When the sunlight shines on a solar panel then there are electrons freed up in the panel. The electrons start to move and produce direct current electricity. The panel itself is made up of individual solar cells. Each of these cells will produce about a half of a volt, so if you have a 24V panel then there are going to be 48 individual cells in it. The actual current or amperage that the panel is capable of is determined by the size of the solar cells in the panel. The larger the cells then the more current your panel will be capable of producing.

 

The next components are the inverter and the interlock. The actual operation of an inverter is fairly complex but what it does is fairly simple. It takes the DC power generated from the panels and converts it to AC so that it will be compatible with the appliances and lighting currently used in our houses.

 

The interlock is basically the switch that ties your system to the grid. This helps determine where your power is coming from at a given time, from the power company or from your solar energy system. It should also contain some safeties that will prevent your system from feeding power back in to the utility companies lines in case of a blackout. Feeding this power back in could be very dangerous for any electricians that are working on those lines during a power outage.

 

The monitoring equipment of course does just that. It follows the status of your system and some of the more complex units can keep track of how much power you are generating and how much you are using.

 

If you need some help finding affordable solar power equipment and panels then check out SolarPanelsCheap.com



Claudia

Joel McDonald asked:


Are you in the market for a new home? If you are considering adding solar panels to your new home there are a number of things you should be aware of during your house hunt that will make the whole process go more smoothly.

What sort of financial incentives are available?

This is always a good place to start. The Federal Government offers a tax credit for residential solar systems installed after January 1st, 2009. The credit is for 30% of the installed cost of the system, which can mean that you will probably get thousands of dollars back when tax season rolls around. Note that this is a credit – not just a writeoff – so any credits received from the government go straight in your pocket!

Second, some states offer subsidies for solar systems. These usually come in the form of x dollars per watt. For example, the state of Colorado offers a $2.00 per watt rebate. These subsidies are usually in addition to the Federal tax credit. The best way to understand the subsidies in your area is to call one or more solar installers in your area and ask them about what options are available to you. Most installers are well aware of any and all credits available. If they are not aware of your options, that just might be your sign to keep shopping for installers.

What makes a good candidate for a solar house?

When looking at houses, you want to examine the property for its suitability for a solar array. The critical issues here are: roof orientation, roof age, shading, and home owners association rules. (Although your HOA may object, some states prohibit HOA’s from prohibiting energy efficient features from being installed in or on a home.

Roof orientation is critical if you can’t put the array in the yard. The ideal situation is a large south facing area. Northern and Eastern orientations are poor candidates for solar array locations. If the roof gets shadows on it during peak hours 9 am – 3 pm, you need to determine if those shadows can be eliminated. If they can’t, the location is not suitable. Shading on panels will severely impact their performance. Even a small amount of shading can cut a panel’s output by 80% or more! Also consider the condition of the roof. If the roof is nearing the end of its life then you will want to re-roof before installing the array. The installation itself is a very substantial portion of the cost of a system and if you have to disassemble the array to re-roof your house you will be incurring a large, and easily avoidable, expense. If you can have the sellers do the re-roofing before you even move, then in all the better. Finally, make sure that there are no HOA rules that would prohibit the installation of a solar array or that would prevent you from installing the array in the optimal place on the roof. If you are forced to install the array on an east or north facing roof face then you should strongly consider looking at another property or abandoning the idea of installing the solar array.



Allan