SOLAR PANELS by Tara Graves 9D

1. How the technology has changed progression.

Solar panels have come a long way since the first solar cell was constructed by Charles Frits in the 1880s - it had a
conversion efficiency of just 1%. Global annual photovoltaic cell (solar cell: a cell that converts solar energy into electrical
energy) installations increased from just 21 megawatts in 1985, to 32,000 megawatts in 2012. The amount of energy that
goes into creating solar panels is paid back through clean electricity production within anywhere from 1 - 2 years,
depending on where they are used. Solar radiation and related energy resources including wind and wave power, hydro
and biomass make up 99.97% of the available renewable energy on Earth.
2. Impact on society (positives & negatives), how its used in society
WATER USAGE- Solar panels do not need water to create electricity. However as in all manufacturing processes, some
water is used to manufacture solar PV components.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS- the photovoltaic cell manufacturing process includes a number of hazardous materials, most of
which are used to clean and purify the semiconductor surface. These chemical include hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid,
nitric acid, hydrogen fluoride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and acetone. Workers face risks associated with inhaling silicon dust
or any of these harmful materials
ENVIROMENT- Manufacturing solar cells produce 90% less pollutants than conventional fossil fuel technologies. All the
components in a solar panel can be recycled, whereas nuclear waste remains a threat to our luscious land. There are no
emissions on global warming with the use of solar panels.
The solar industry creates 200 to 400 jobs in research, development, manufacturing and installation for every 10
megawatts of solar power generated annually.
3. How do different people relate to this technology/how comfortable do they feel with it?
(Age groups vs. socio-economic groups, third world countries)
From what I have read on pols and comments people have made, a majority of people find solar energy environmentally
friendly and clean. Some of the negatives of using solar panels are that they are a bit big and take up most of the space on
the roof on the house and that if everyone uses solar energy the people who work in the coal industry will lose their jobs.
Otherwise solar panels are a great way to produce energy. They dont really affect the persons age group more on the
persons opinions. Solar panels are a little expensive, third world countries wont be able to afford solar panels unless they
are donated and I dont believe getting solar panels are their biggest issue.
4. Relationship to electromagnetic spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of wavelengths or frequencies over which electromagnetic radiation extends.
Solar radiation is made up of electromagnetic energy of various wavelengths. As it passes through the earth's atmosphere,
half is reflected back into space while the other half makes its way to the surface of the earth. The air molecules react with
this incoming radiation, scattering the light and absorbing most of the harmful rays. The filtered energy is what see and
feel as sunshine. Solar radiation is composed of: 40% at wavelengths of infrared (IR) or longer; 50% at visible wavelength;
10% at wavelengths of ultraviolet (UV) or shorter (think: skin penetration)
5. How the energy is transferred, types of energy being used?
Solar panels use solar energy. When the sun is shining, the photo voltaic panels of a solar PV system capture sunlight and
convert it into direct current electricity. The solar panels are made of solar cells. A cell is a small disk of a semiconductor
like silicon. They are attached by wire to a circuit. As light strikes the semiconductor, light is converted into electricity that
flows through the circuit. As soon as the light is removed, the solar cell stops producing power. The panels store the energy
so when the sun has gone you can still use the energy.