Solar technologies

Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

Solar power

Solar powered electrical generation relies on heat engines and photovoltaics. Solar energy's uses are limited only by human ingenuity. A partial list of solar applications includes space heating and cooling through solar architecture, potable water via distillation and disinfection, daylighting, solar hot water, solar cooking, and high temperature process heat for industrial purposes.To harvest the solar energy, the most common way is to use solar panels.

Solar energy

Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available renewable energy on earth. Only a minuscule fraction of the available solar energy is used.
 

What are Solar Cells?

Friday, September 24, 2010

Solar cells are devices which convert solar light energy directly into electricity and function by the photovoltaic effect.  Photo- means light and -voltaic means electrical current or electricity  (light-electricity).  A solar cell provides direct current (DC) electricity that can be used to power DC motors and light bulbs among other things.  Solar cells can even be used to charge rechargeable batteries so that electricity can be stored for later use when the sun is not available. The fully charged batteries are portable energy that can be used whenever and wherever they are needed.

Solar cells provide DC electricity similar to batteries however, batteries differ because they operate through a process known as an electrochemical reaction.  This process will provide an electrical current (electro-) from a chemical reaction (-chemical) that occurs inside the battery.  When you hook up a motor to the battery, also known as a load, the reaction begins and electrons flow as shown in the picture: "Battery Circuit".  Direct current (DC electricity) is different from the alternating current (AC electricity) that is used to power the TV, refrigerator, and other appliances in your home however, DC can be converted to AC when needed.

Battery Circuit (large image)

Battery circuit with motor and electron flow
Solar cells produce DC electricity from light.  Sunlight contains packets of energy called photons that can be converted directly into electrical energy.  You can’t see the photons but they hit the cell and produce free electrons that move through the wires and cause an electrical current as shown in the picture: "Solar Cell Circuit".  The electrical current is the electricity that powers the motor.  Although you can't see the photons you can see the light and you can assume that the amount of photons hitting your solar cell is related to the amount of light hitting your solar cell.  A greater amount of light available means a greater amount of photons are hitting your solar cell and the more power you get from it.

Solar Cell Circuit (large image)

Posted by Rahul at 6:37 AM

1 comments:

Unknown said...

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December 22, 2017 at 1:26 AM

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