History and Development of Solar Cell - Research Paper Example

Solar Power Contents Executive Summary 3 Introduction 3 What is solar energy? 4 History and development of solar cell 4 How Solar cells work 5 The process of Photovoltaic cells 5 Techniques for generating electricity from solar power 6 Photovoltaic solar panels 6 Concentrating solar power 6 Hybrid power system 6 Solar panels and how they work 6 The basic types of solar panels 7 Poly-crystalline solar panels 7 Mono-crystalline solar panels 7 Amorphous  7 Lifespan of Solar Panels 8 Installation cost and maintenance of solar panels 8 Maintenance procedure of solar panels 8 The efficiency of solar panels 9 Charge controllers 9 Stand-alone charge controllers 9 Integrated charge controller circuitry 10 AC generators for power backup 10 For business and commercial use 10 Multiple redundancy 10 Outdoor use 10 Sizing Your Solar System 11 Solar energy audit 11 Conclusion 11 References 12 Executive Summary In this current era, lack of energy has become one of the major problems of human society. As the result, humans are now putting efforts to benefit from alternative energy sources, and solar power is one of them. This report sheds light on the importance of solar energy and the various sources through which solar energy is produced. The core objective of this report is signifying the importance of solar energy and how it has been proven to be one of the most sources of energy production in recent times. The document analyzes the history and development of solar cells as well as simultaneously describes the techniques utilized in generating electricity from solar power. The report also focuses on one more crucial aspect of solar power, i.e. the solar panels. It describes the three basic types of solar panels and specifies the details of the types of solar panels. It also focuses on the longevity and productivity of solar panels as well as analyzes on the cost benefit analysis of the solar panels in the short as well as the long run. Another key component of power and energy generation is charge controllers. The essay also elaborates the types of charge controllers for commercial as well as individual use. The essay also highlights the importance of AC generators as an alternate for power back up and analyzes their importance to individual as well as commercial users. It is evident from the analysis that solar energy has certainly become one of the most important and crucial sources of energy generation in the modern era. When compared with the other modes of power generation, it can be stated that solar energy system is definitely very low. Not only energy generated through solar power is highly cost-efficient and cost effective but it can certainly reap long term benefits for its users. Introduction Solar power is one of the most important and reliable sources of energy generation. Solar power is the process of capturing energy from radiant light and heat from the sun which is than harnessed using a variety of range of ever-evolving technologies which include solar heating, thermal electricity and also artificial photosynthesis.The process of power generation through solar technologies can be termed as active or passive solar and it all depends on the way the energy is captured, converted and finally distributed. Solar power is a significant and inexpensive source of electric power, in comparison with the grid power, because, the grid power is, not really convenient to use and also extremely costly to connect. Due to the fact that, since the cost of solar electricity has significantly declined, the solar power is now commonly being used in the grid-connected cases as well, for the purpose of making it as a mean to supply the low-carbon energy to the grid. This medium of energy has been availed by humans across the world since the prehistoric era and although the mode of technology has evolved in the last few years, this mode of technology has certainly revealed multiple benefits and has turned out to be a unique and environmental friendly mode of energy/ What is solar energy? Solar energy is simply an energy which the earth receives from the sun, which is then eventually transformed into thermal or electrical energy, by the earth itself.The solar energy has a significant impact on the earth’s climate, weather, atmosphere and temperature. That is, the solar energy plays a vital role to facilitate the living beings to live and survive on this planet. Even though, solar energy contributes around only 0.15% in the global energy, but according to scientists, the sunlight can provide the earth with almost 5000 times more energy as compared to what the earth is currently consuming. The word solar energy is commonly used to depict the various techniques which are used for the purpose of acquiring energy from the sun. Different energies, such as wind, biomass and hydropower are basicallydifferent types of the solar energy. Due to advancement in modern science and technology, the ability to control and develop solar energy has increased to a huge extent (Bodur, Mehmet, and Ermis, pp. 23-28). It has even led to a certain shift in utilizing conventional means for generating power for renewable and recycling sources of energy. Constant research and development with regard to solar power has led to creation of cost effective means in accumulating solar energy. History and development of solar cell In early 1860, there was a need to look for an alternate source of energy arose due to an approximation that after a couple of centuries, coal would soon become a rare energy resource. Due to that reason, a group of scientists had started to develop solar technologies as one of the alternate sources of energy.But due to the inadequate availability and extensive utilization of energy resources like coal and petroleum in the early 20th century, the progress of the solar technologies had to be suspended. After a few years later in 1974, a study indicated thatacross the whole of North America, there were only six private homes which were used to be completely heated or chilled with the assistance ofsolar energysystems.Due to the prohibition on the exploitation of oil in 1973 and the energy crisis in 1979, the major countries of the world decided to reorganize the strategies regarding energy generation sources and from this point, they also decided to start redeveloping the solar technologies.Furtherdevelopment strategies were focused on future incentive programs, which includedfederal photovoltaic utilization program in USA and sunshine program in Japan (Patel, pp. 47-52). The photovoltaic installations achieved a significant growth from 1970 to 1983. However, after 1983, the graph of the photovoltaic installations started to go downwards, due to a relatively gradual, but constant fall in the oil prices, till 1996.But after 1996, the photovoltaic installations managed to regain its mark, due to several critical issues, such as,inadequate supply of oil and natural gas and alsoglobal warming. Besides that, as Photovoltaic installations became economically feasible to employ, so this further gave it an edge over the other energy sources. How Solar cells work The process of Photovoltaic cells The core function of the photovoltaic cells is to transform the solar energy, which it receives from the sun, into electricity.And for this transformation, they have to depend heavily on thephotoelectric effect, which is basically matter’s aptitude to discharge electrons, as soon as the light shines on it. The silicon gas is one of the most vital components in the solar cells, because basically, it is a semi-conductor element, which denotes the fact that it possesses some of the features of metals and an electrical insulator as well. We can now have a look at how the process of solar cells works through the photovoltaic cells. The sun emits the sunlight, which is basically a combination of extremely tiny particles known as photons. When the sunlight strikes the silicon electrons in the solar cell, its energy is instantly transmitinto the silicon electrons in the solar cell.After the transmission of energy in the silicon electrons, the solar cell subsequently combines theseelectrons, in such a way, that eventually an electric current is produced.However, this process of generating an electriccurrent entails an electrical unevennessinside the cell, which is basically a downward inclination, and in that same direction, the electrons then travel. Creation of this imbalance is only possible through the internal structure of silicon. Silicon atoms can be arranged together within a tightly bound and integratedatomic structure. When squeezing small quantities of other specific elements within this structure, two very different and unique types of silicon can be created that are: n-type, having spare electrons P-type, having few missedparts of electrons and leaves ‘holes’ in their place. When silicon materials are placed parallel to each otherwithin a solar cell, n-type silicon’s are able to spare electrons, which can jump over in filling the gaps within the p-type silicon. This could mean that n-type silicon materials can becomes positively charged while the p-type silicon are negatively charged thus creating an electric fieldthroughout the panel. Because silicon is a semi-conductor, it may behavelike an insulator as well as a conductor, thus maintaining an imbalance. Becausethe photons are smashing the electrons off the silicon atoms, the field can drive them along the orderly field and also provides the electric current in the process of power calculators, satellites and everything is interlinked with solar energy. Techniques for generating electricity from solar power There are various techniques in generating electricity through solar power, which are: Photovoltaic solar panels One of the basic methods of generating electricity uses photovoltaic solar panels. They help in generating electricity directly by storing the energy create through sunlight emissions. A photovoltaic array comprise of numerous photovoltaic modules. And these photovoltaic modules are used to transform the solar radiation into utilizable direct electricity current. A photovoltaic system for housing, business, or industrial energy supply, generally comprise of, an array of photovoltaic modules, direct current to alternating current power converters, a tracking system which assists the solar modules, electrical wiring and interconnections Concentrating solar power Another method for generating energy through solar power is concentrated solar power. This method converts sunlight rays into heat and generate steam that is used as a source of energy. Thus, electricity is generated as a result by feeding mistwithin a steam turbine. Within this system, the concentrating solar power are of basically four types, that is, enclosed trough, solar power tower, parabolic trough, concentrating linear Fresnel reflector and dish Stirlings. However, these concentrating solar power are way too distant from the theoretical maximum concentration Hybrid power system Innovation and creativity in engineering has helped in thedevelopment of a hybrid power system. In this system, solar energy can beinterlinked with traditional power sources. The hybrid power system is a very vital power generation system, because it helps its users to minimize their energy bills and it also facilitates them to provide with the backup power, in case if the local power fails. A hybrid power system merges photovoltaic with the other types of power generation, such as, a diesel generator, and sometimes biogas is also used, instead of diesel generator. However, the other type of power generation might be one, which would be capable to adjust the energy output, as a function of demand. Nevertheless, more renewable types of energies may also be utilized, for instance, the wind energy. The photovoltaic power generation system aims to minimize the utilization of such energies, which are other than the renewable types of energies. Furthermore, the Hybrid power systems can be found, but mostly on the islands. Solar panels and how they work According to Chung, the creation of solar panels has certainly helped in harnessing and storage of solar power batteries. One of the key traits of solar panels is that they can help in collecting and storing radiant energy. As a process, the energy is than stored in the batteries. That energy can also be utilized for running domestic appliances and accessories and also in operation of electrical as well as electronic items. Solar panel systems are able to capture suns energy with the help of photovoltaic cells. These cells not only need direct energy or sunlight for working or processing but they are still able to generate sufficient electricity for working even where there is very limited sunlight energy. The cells are then able to convert the sunlight into electricity and this can also be used in running of household appliances and lighting of domestic items The basic types of solar panels According to Krueger, Wallace, Anthony and Smith (1981), solar panels are comprised of three basic panels that are: Poly-crystalline solar panels Polycrystalline (or multicrystalline) modules are basically a combination of numerous, dissimilar crystals, which are combined with each other, for the purpose of making a single cell. Amongst numerous solar modules, Polycrystalline modules have been so far, the most successful type of solar module, primarily because of its comparatively lower cost of manufacturing. In recent times, polycrystalline solar panels have gained immense popularity due to the fact that they can operate much better in high temperature surroundings, as compared to in cool atmosphere. It is imperative to assess amorphous solar module’s genuine worth by comparing the advantages it offers, with its drawbacks. Mono-crystalline solar panels Mono-crystalline modules are manufactured with the use of a single crystal, slash from ingot, which provides the solar panel with a standardized appearance, across the whole module. Besides that, these huge single crystals are extremely uncommon, which makes it quite difficult to found it. Moreover, the procedure of recrystallizing the cell is comparatively more costly to manufacture. However, in recent times, the price of mono-crystalline modules has fallen quite significantly, resulting in a relatively equal increase in its demand in the local markets. Within the corporate sector, very few companies utilize monocrystalline solar panels. It is due to the higher cost of producing the solar panels and also due to the higher efficiency of products which could start to pop up as consumers often demand value for money and energy efficient products. Amorphous  Its panels are manufactured with the help of a highly computerized technology, in such a way that silicon gas is sprayed on its underlying layer, which makes its 1 micron thicker, as compared to mono and poly. This denotes that its panels consume comparatively fewer energy to eventually generate the output, in form of energy, more swiftly than mono and poly technology. However, this also signifies the fact that it lacks efficiency, quite significantly, in comparison with mono and poly technology. Its electrical connections are engraved as relatively lengthy horizontal cells across the whole panel, with the help of a laser technology, to prevent it from getting obstructed by the shade, which can eventually be detrimental for it. This denotes the fact that if the panel is not prevented from the shade, then there would be a quite significant collapse in its performance. As the amorphous panels lack efficiency, quite considerably, as compared to mono-crystalline and polycrystalline panels, therefore, amorphous panels require comparatively more input, to generate the same level of output, as generated by mono-crystalline and poly-crystalline panels. Amorphous solar panels may require twice as more roof area, when compared to what mono and poly requires. And subsequently, if the roof area is expanded, then this may turn out to be perilous, as it would occupy the entire north side roof for a comparatively smaller system. Lifespan of Solar Panels Due to their longevity and higher lifespan than other power generation panels, solar panels have become increasingly popular due to themanner in which they use energy of the sun for conducting and generating electricity andalso operating equipment within the household or workplace (Erling, n.p).On average, solar panel models could be expected to possess a lifespan of around 40 to 50 yearsand on a commercial scale, they mostly have warranties of around 20 to 25 years. Solar panels usually sustain foraround forty years after they are installed.Though their performance can deteriorate with the passage of time but this deterioration is negligible considering their efficiency and effectiveness. Almost all types of solar panels, i.e., mono-crystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous solar panels can sustain for the usual forty years mark. Installation cost and maintenance of solar panels The average cost for generating power with solar electricity is interlinking with its maintenance and installation costs. For instance, converting the power system of a residential home to a solar panel system can costs an owner with an average of $30000 - 40000and it also depends on what kind of system has been purchased and an appropriate estimation of their energy needs is also required (Medford, 272-275). It is a fact that solar energy costs is usually higher when compared to other modes of energy generation which include coal and oil generation. Electricity produced from coal and oil is produced at an estimated $0.05 per Kilowatt Hour (kWh). On the contrary, the cost of energy generation through solar panels is around $0.37 cents per kWh. But the generation of energy through solar panelsalso depends on number of hours per day of sunlight available and also the ability of the tilt panels which is coming in towards the sun and it can be evaluated along with the 30-40 year lifespan of solar energy systems. There are certain maintenance costs required in the installation of Solar panels but they also reduce with the passage of time. Most installed solar systemsdo not require a huge amount of maintenance. There arevery limited maintenance costs which are associated with solar panels as a specific system and they are primarily associated with batteries and also for off grid systems. Maintenance procedure of solar panels The life expectancy of solar panels may well be forty years in some cases, and maybe a little bit longer if they are maintained well, and there are a few ways to sustain the efficiency of the panels. It is very importantintaking care of the batter panels in any way possible. For instance, during installation of batter panels, intensive care is needed which can avoid in breaking up or damagingelectric panels because if seal cracks, the water in the panel may step in and can also disintegrate the electrical contacts. This will also lead to poor conductivity of the panels and below par performance (Raghunathan, n.p).When solar panels are installed, they must be left alone because dropping and tampering solar panelswill make themhighly vulnerable for working. Most solar panels can bedesigned in a way which can surviveadverse conditionsand can still perform with perfection. The efficiency of solar panels On average, the efficiency of the solar panel depends on how the solar panel has been installed and themaintenance of the solar panel can also be analyzed in this regard. It must be made sure that solar panels have not been positioned in a manner where they are over or under-shadowed by trees and other objects which can ensure that the solar panels function is also close to their efficiency and effectiveness (Rizk and Chaiko, n.p).From a consumer’s perspective, the efficiency rating of a solar panel must be thoroughly evaluated. It is importantin making sure that the terms of the warranty in making purchase of the solar panel. Solar panels are certainly very efficient and they key reason behind the fact that why solar energy systems are preferred by various users for domestic use is because they are not only inexpensive but are also relatively efficient in use, as compared to the traditional power generation systems. After gaining significant popularity amongst the households for domestic use, the solar energy systems are now also being preferred by the business owners for use in their businesses, as all these power generation systems, which falls under the category of solar energy systems, such as, biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric and wind energy generation systems can be refurbished for further use in business. And this is why they are now being considered as a comparatively better power generation by various users, as it facilitates them to meet their power generation needs, much more easily (Winter, Carl-Jochen, and Sizmann, 40-43). It is a fact that the implementation of solar panels will result in higher efficiency and cost effectiveness. The more efficient the solar panel is, the more the amount of energy could be generated due to it. This could help into translating greater savings on power and energy over a long period of time. Investing on solar panels is not a short term investment but can also result in long term benefits and can help a company in certain savings which it really wants. Charge controllers A charge controller helps in limiting the rate at which electric current can be added as well as drawn from electric batteries. Charge controller also helps in overcharging as well as mitigates overvoltage of batteries (Tourneux, n.p). This can thus enhance battery performance or lifespan. It also prevents in discharging a battery and performing controlled discharges. Charge controller is a very important component of Solar Panels. It has been used in charging batteries from solar panels. Solar panels can give 15-17 volts of energy.Charge controller is able to converts that power to 12-14 volts and is able to charge battery. The battery needs a huge amount of voltage which is required in charging the battery. One of the main benefits in charging controller is that it prevents batteries from being over charged andit also stops the charge when battery has beenfully charged. This inturn provides a longer andsustainable life for battery. This also helps inblocking diodes instead of charging controller. Charge controllers also help in showing how much ampere is requiredfor charging of batteries. The battery can be automatically disconnected if it is going to be empty. Stand-alone charge controllers Standalone charge controllers can be sold for commercial use and can be used in separate devices which areused in conjunction with solar power generators and include for uses in activities such as RV, boat, and off-the-grid as well as home battery storage systems.In solar applications, stand-alone charge controllers can be used as solar regulators. Some stand-alone charge controllers have variousadditional features which include low voltage disconnect (LDV), as well as a separate circuit which can help in powering down the load when batteries can become overly discharged. Standalonecharge controller disables further current flow moving into the batteries when batteries are full. Ashunt regulatorcan divertsurplus electricity for supplementary load when charge for batteries is full. Stand alone charge controllers could also help in monitoring battery temperature and in preventing overheating and overcharging. Integrated charge controller circuitry An integrated charge controller consists of certain functions with several electrical componentsandcould also be summarizedin a solitarymicrochip.This is called an Integrated Circuit (IC) which is also known as a charge controller IC. In the context of solar panels, charge controllerscan be used in rechargeable electronic devices which include cell phones, laptops, tabletsand alsolarge battery systems which could be found in electric vehicles and space orbit satellites. AC generators for power backup Though solar powers are an excellent source of power generation, but there are certain alternate sources of power generation which must be considered for an adverse scenario. In this regard, AC generators could be defined as an effective method which can be a solid backup for power generation. The key traits and features of this process are: For business and commercial use For the running of large businesses and other continuous running process where reliability is highly important, AC generators could be a highly efficient method of backup because even a single second of power failure can result in a huge loss. For providing a greater sense of reliability and trust, several small generators and batteries could be integrated and interlinked together which can help in providing redundant power protection systems which are equal to a massive power generation system. Multiple redundancy Computer servers have the option to offer an option of superfluous supply of power and when one power supply fails, other power supplies can combine and accumulate the potential load. Redundancy protection of AC generators can allow extensive power by plugging each power supply into a different circuit. In this manner, redundant protection could be extended further by connecting each power supply for its own alternate of power generation. This also provides a combined method of protection with regard to power supply failure as well asin the condition of no generation of solar power. Outdoor use If an AC power generation is placed outdoors, it may provide some specific and unique features which may be able to guarantee that it has the ability to tolerate adverse weather conditions and it will still have no effect on energy generation. External climate factors which include humidity, rain or snow may be considered by the manufacturersof an outdoor AC power generation system. Sizing Your Solar System In order to guarantee that the solar system generates the required level of electric power, the sizing of the different parts of the solar system, should be done with reasonable accuracy. And this accurate sizing of solar system is specifically more important, in case of the standalone solar systems, as they are not attached with the electricity network (Zweibel and Kenneth, pp. 16-22). However, it’s a fact that PV is modular and can add extra power to the solar energy collector system, if there is a need for more power within the solar power system. And in order to that, PV systems should be designed in such a way, that it would automatically be able to fulfill the selected segments of the existing electric power needs, which have been previously determined. Solar energy audit A solar energy audit includes an estimation of energy utilized by simultaneously analyzing local climate of the region, thermostat settings, and most importantly solar orientation. The main purpose of solar energy audit is showing the utilization of energy for a specified time period and the potential impact of suggested improvements accumulated per year. The potential accuracy and transparency of an energy audit can be significantly improved if the billing history of the particular house, factory or the industry is available which depicts total quantity of electricity, gas, fuel and other energy sources which are consumed over a specific time period. One of the greatest benefits of energy that are used can be user behavior, climate and the time period of the home. According to Rizk and Chaiko (2008), an important trait or characteristic of the solar audit is that it allowsthe user of the energy to calculate theirnet benefit for a particular strategy which can be developed within the context of energy utilization. However, before conducting the audit, it is crucial that recommendations are which can reduce the total energy cost of our home and help in making improvements for the thermal envelope and also help in reducing the total energy load of the appliances. The core aim of the solar energy implementation is to reduce energy load for the potential consumers and how itcan help in reducing the size and potential cost of trailing systems which include upgraded and improved high efficiency, varying and two speed HVAC systems and it may even include a grid-tied energy system. It is evident that implementation of a solar energy system can help in saving thousands of dollars for equipment costs and can also help in getting a break-even, if not achieving the core motive of a profitable return. An energy audit, in this regard, can further help to evaluate the potential benefits of an energy audit. Conclusion Solar power has certainly become one of the most important sources of energy generation. As compared to the traditional power generation system’s set up cost, the solar energy system’s set up cost are significantly lower. Furthermore, these inexhaustible power generation systems are usually unlimited, in terms of availability. The key reason behind the fact that why the Solar power generation systems have turned out to be as one of the most swiftly developing, inexhaustible source of electricity, is because it offers numerous benefits as compared to what are offered by the other kinds of electricity generation systems. The solar energy system is not only highly cost-efficient and cost effective but it is an investment which can reap long term benefits for its potential users. Another key benefit of solar energy is that obtaining the solar energy is free of any cost although substantial costs are needed in harnessing the energy. However, there are very limited expenses which can be incurred in the utilization of solar power. On a larger scale, solar energy equipments could be implemented in business practices within almost any industry and with very limited implementation cost. Although solar panels do need maintenance at times but the benefits can easily outweigh the costs in the long run. References Bodur, Mehmet, and Muammer Ermis."Maximum power point tracking for low power photovoltaic solar panels."Electrotechnical Conference, 1994. Proceedings., 7th Mediterranean. IEEE, 1994. Chung. 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