Solar Energy

February 11, 2012

Solar Energy
Sun is the main source to provide light and heat. Heat energy on earth arrives from Sun. Sun is being used for drying clothes and food since early days, but few years ago we just have become capable to use it for other purposes like generating power. The distance of Sun is 150 million kilometers from earth, and amazingly it is powerful. Just a small portion of its energy that reaches the Earth is sufficient to meet all our power requirements many times over. Actually, at every minute, adequate energy reaches at the Earth to assemble our needs for an entire year - if only we could control it in a better manner. The value of solar power that reaches on earth is 1016 watts. While the total demand of earth is 1013 watts. In this way sun is providing us 1000 times more energy than our need. In a completely bright day the emitted energy by sun in the form of radiations is around 1367W per m2.By using photovoltaic cells this energy can directly converted into electricity.

Solar Photovoltaic Technology:

PV cell is semiconductor device that converts sun radiations directly into electricity. When solar panel or solar module is place in sunlight it generates voltage and current as an output. This produced power is used for our requirements. The power produced by solar panel, depends upon the availability of sunlight. As
intensity of radiations from sun increases, power will be produced in same proportion. When there is no light, no power will be generated. The amount of the power produced also depends upon size of the panel. Large panel will give large power. The power produced is DC which is then converted to AC because most of our appliances run at AC. these panels can be used for many purposes from small scale to large scale. Home appliances, commercial load and industry can be put to electricity produced by these panels. For all AC appliances DC is converted to AC by using inverter.

Brief History of the Technology:

Light from sun can be converted to electricity by photovoltaic affect which was discovered in 1839 by a scientist Edmund Becquerel. Sun radiations are photons or packets of energy which upon striking solar cell absorbed in it resulting in the production of electros and generation of voltage which causes current. So in this way power produced runs load. Metal contacts are made on front and rear to collect current. On rear side metal contact is continuous but in front side it is in the form of lines. This is absorbed necessary to allow more light to enter in the cell. When sunlight falls on a surface most of it is reflected. An anti-reflecting layer is needed which is put on cell so that most of the light should absorb. For this purpose blue color coating is used.
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February 11, 2012

The research on this gained momentum in 1970s when there were crises of oil and other fossil fuels. Due to limitation of fossils fuels developments started on renewable recourses and this source is the back bone of them. In 1950s first operational solar cell was demonstrated. However recently there have been large improvements in this technology. Two main parameters are efficiency and cost of production. Over the years efficiency is improved and cost is reduced. Silicon is most common for making solar cell while other technologies are also used like thin film, thin-film amorphous silicon, thin-film cadmium telluride etc.

Basic concept:
PV cells are made of semiconductor material, mostly silicon. It should have junction between two semiconductors. In silicons case junctions is made between p-type and n-type silicon. When light falls on this junction a voltage is generated across it. For silicon, the generated voltage is around 0.5 to 0.6.this voltage then becomes capable to supply current to the circuit which can run electrical load. Voltage is generated as long as cell is exposed to light. When there is no light (during night), voltage across solar cell will be zero.

The amount of power generated:

The generated amount of power depends upon efficiency and solar cell area. A 16% efficient cell will convert 16% of light into electricity. Solar cells at large area will produce large power because large area is exposed to light. Typically PV cells are characterized by 103 W/m2 solar radiations at 250C which is world standard. Thus a solar cell having 15% efficiency with area 0.01m2 in solar radiations of 1000W/m2 will give following power.

Power = (15/100)%(cell efficiency)x0.01m2(area of cell)x1000W/m2(sun radiation) = 1.5W

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Solar Energy

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The Rated and actual power from a panel:

Power calculated above is rated power (1.5W) which is for standard condition. This rated power is the peak power that can be taken from module. Manufactures always specify panels by rated power. In reality, sun radiations vary through all day. During morning hours radiations are 100W/m2.At noon these are 600 to 800 W/m2 which are lower than the standard value. Thus solar panel gives less power in realty because light falling on it is less than supposed one. There is another factor which decreases power which is temperature. Normally, solar panel is used under high temperature like 500C which is against the characterized temperature of 250.as temperature increase above standard temperature, efficiency of the cell decreases. It means less power will be produced. Always actual power is less than rated power. Typically, power produced by panel is 20 to 40 % of the rated power, and it depends upon temperature. Power curve of a solar cell module is shown below in the figure. More power can be produced by connecting solar cells together to make solar PV module. One cell can generate 0.1 to 3 watt power, which is dependent upon its size. Commonly our power requirements are higher, so we connect many solar cells to get more power. Usually 36 cells are connected in series to make so-called solar power module. This will give 12 V, which is the required voltage to charge battery (usually single cell produce 0.5 to 0.55 V). Connecting 18 cells in series, a 6 volt battery can be charged. Actually 15 v are required to charge 12 V battery because higher voltage should be at its terminal. So PV module should be made for 15 V for 12 V. Current produced, depends upon the size of module. (Usually a single cell produces 25 to 30 mA/cm2).Typically a module of one square feet gives peak output of 10 to 12 watt.

Advantages:
Solar PV technology converts sunlight directly into electricity, without any intermediate stair. While other technologies like hydel, nuclear, biomass, fossil fuel etc require of many steps to make electricity. Solar PV plants have fewer components and no moving parts, so they require less maintenance.
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February 11, 2012

They have minimum running cost and does not pollute environment like fossil fuel plants. They can be used in remote areas where there is no other source of energy. They are handy for low power applications, but they be designed for large applications, which require high cost and large area for plant.

Limitations:
One major drawback is that they cannot be used at night. So batteries are used to store energy which can be used at any time. They are reliable in sunny climate. At less sunlight like in cloudy days their efficiency is reduced and they produce much less power than rated value. Temperature also affects in power generation, so it should be in a defined range.

Advancements are being made in this technology, recently their efficiency is improved and cost is reduced. In this era this technology is flourishing and in future whole world will use it for most of the power applications.

References:
http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/solar.htm#adv Renewable Energy Technologies, a practical guide for beginners by Chetan Singh Solanki http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/tech/solarpv

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