Solar Energy

and Solar power

What is solar Energy? When did we start using it?
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient
times using a range of ever-evolving technologies.
In the 3
rd
century B.C. the Greeks made history not for using solar energy for domestic
comfort, but as a weapon of mass destruction !he story goes that a "oman naval force was
sailing to sack the Greek citadel of #yracuse. $ith the help of the inventor %rchimedes, the
Greeks are reported to have used highly polished metal shields as mirrors to amplify and
focus the rays of the sun&and set fire to the advancing ships
What are solar energy technologies?
#olar energy technologies include'
solar heating
solar photovoltaics
solar thermal electricity
solar architecture
artificial photosynthesis which can make considerable contributions to solving some
of the most urgent energy problems the world now faces
Artificial Photosynthesis
Is a chemical process that replicates the natural process of photosynthesis, a process that
converts sunlight, water, and carbon dio(ide into carbohydrates and o(ygen. !he term is
commonly used to refer to any scheme for capturing and storing the energy from sunlight in
the chemical bonds of a fuel )a solar fuel*. +hoto catalytic water splitting converts water
into protons )and eventually hydrogen* and o(ygen, and is a main research area in artificial
photosynthesis.
% sample of a photoelectric cell in a lab environment. Catalysts are added to the cell,
which is submerged in water and illuminated by simulated sunlight. !he bubbles seen
are o(ygen )forming on the front of the cell* and hydrogen )forming on the back of the
cell*.
Solar Architecture
Is the integration of solar panel technology with modern building techni,ues. !he use of
fle(ible thin film photovoltaic modules provides fluid integration with steel roofing profiles that
enhances the building-s design. .rienting a building to the #un, selecting materials with
favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally
circulate air also constitute as solar architecture.
/armstadt 0niversity of !echnology in Germany won the
1223 #olar /ecathlon in$ashington, /.C. with this passive
housedesigned specifically for the humid and hot subtropical
climate.
Solar thermal energy (STE)
Is a technology for harnessing solar energy for thermal
energy )heat*. #olar thermal collectors are classified
by the 0nited #tates 4nergy Information
%dministration as low-, medium-, or high-temperature
collectors. 5ow-temperature collectors are flat plates generally used to heat swimming pools. 6edium-
temperature collectors are also usually flat plates but are used for heating water or air for residential
and commercial use. 7igh-temperature collectors concentrate sunlight using mirrors or lenses and are
generally used for electric power production.
#olar thermal system for water heating in #antorini, Greece.
Solar heating (Refers to solar thermal energy)
% solar thermal collector is a solar collector designed to collect heat by absorbing sunlight. %
collector is a device for converting the energy in sunlight, or solar radiation, into a more usable or
storable form. !his energy is in the form of electromagnetic radiation from the infrared )long* to
the ultraviolet )short* wavelengths. !he ,uantity of solar energy striking the 4arth-s surface averages
about 8,222 watts per s,uare meter under clear skies, depending upon weather conditions, location,
and orientation of the surface.
!he term solar collector commonly refers to solar hot water panels, but may also refer to more
comple( installations such as solar parabolic apparatus, solar troughs, and solar towers9 or less
comple( installations such as solar air heat. #olar power plants usually use the more comple(
collectors to generate electricity by heating water to produce steam which
drives a turbine connected to an electrical generator. !he less comple(
collectors are typically used in residential and commercial buildings for
supplemental space heating.

#olar thermal collector dish +arabolic trough
Photovoltaic system
Photovoltaic systems )P system* use solar panels to convert sunlight into
electricity. % system is made up of one or more photovoltaic )+:* panels, a /C;%C
power converter )also known as an inverter*, a racking system that holds the solar
panels, electrical interconnections, and mounting for other components. .ptionally it
may include a ma(imum power point tracker )6++!*, battery system
and charger, solar tracker, energy management software, solar concentrators or
other e,uipment. % small +: system may provide energy to a single consumer, or to
an isolated device like a lamp or a weather instrument. 5arge grid-connected +:
systems can provide the energy needed by many customers. !he electricity
generated can be either stored, used directly )island;standalone plant*, or fed into a
large electricity grid powered by central generation plants )grid-connected;grid-tied
plant*, or combined with one or many domestic electricity generators to feed into a
small grid )hybrid plant*. #ystems are generally designed in order to ensure the
highest energy yield for a given investment.
Solar panels
% solar panel )also solar module, photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel* is a
packaged, connected assembly of photovoltaic cells. !he solar panel can be used as a
component of a larger photovoltaic system to generate and supply electricity in commercial
and residential applications. 4ach panel is rated by its /C output power under standard test
conditions, and typically ranges from 822 to 312 watts. !he efficiency of a panel determines
the area of a panel given the same rated output - an <= efficient 132 watt panel will have
twice the area of a 8>= efficient 132 watt panel. Because a single solar panel can produce
only a limited amount of power, most installations contain multiple panels. % photovoltaic
system typically includes an array of solar panels, an inverter, and sometimes a battery and
or solar tracker and interconnection wiring.
%n installation of 1? solar panels in rural 6ongolia

#olar panels on the International #pace #tation
Photovoltaic cells
% solar cell )also called a photovoltaic cell* is an electrical device that converts the energy
of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. It is a form of photoelectric cell )in
that its electrical characteristics&e.g. current, voltage, or resistance&vary when light is
incident upon it* which, when e(posed to light, can generate and support an electric current
without being attached to any e(ternal voltage source.
!he term @photovoltaic@ comes from the Greek A B ) phs* meaning @light@, and from @:olt@,
the unit of electro-motive force, the volt, which in turn comes from the last name of
the Italian physicist %lessandro :olta, inventor of the battery )electrochemical cell*. !he term
@photo-voltaic@ has been in use in 4nglish since 8<?C.
!he operation of a photovoltaic )+:* cell re,uires 3 basic attributes'
8.!he absorption of light, generating either electron-hole pairs or e(citons.
1.!he separation of charge carriers of opposite types.
3.!he separate e(traction of those carriers to an e(ternal
circuit.
% solar cell made from amonocrystalline silicon wafer with itscontact grid made
from busbars )the larger strips* and fingers the )smaller ones*
4arly solar powerred calculator
!id you "now that#?
Iceland uses Dust renewable energyE
.nly C.F= of the energy used in 0#% is renewableE
China has the highest rate of electricity consumption, while India is on the second
place and 0#% on the thirdE
#audi %rabia uses most of the energy for domestic usage, more than F2=E
In the 0# many localities re,uire a license to install a photovoltaic systemE
In the 0G, +: installations are generally considered permitted development and don-t
re,uire planning permissionE
4I% estimates that about 8C= of world electricity generation is from renewable
energy, with a proDection of nearly 13= in 123FE
4I% estimates that about 82= of world marketed energy consumption is from
renewable energy sources )hydropower, biomass, biofuels , wind, geothermal,
and solar*, with a proDection of 8?= by 123FE
$i%liography
http';;en.wikipedia.org;wiki;#olarHenergy
http';;solarma(technology.wordpress.com;1281;88;83;the-history-of-solar-power-
solar-energy-in-ancient-times;
http';;en.wikipedia.org;wiki;#olarHheating
http';;en.wikipedia.org;wiki;%rtificialHphotosynthesis
http';;en.wikipedia.org;wiki;#olarHarchitecture
http';;en.wikipedia.org;wiki;#olarHthermalHelectricity
http';;en.wikipedia.org;wiki;4lectricHenergyHconsumptionI4lectricityHJinalHConsumpti
onHbyHcategories
http';;en.wikipedia.org;wiki;#olarHphotovoltaicsI#ystemHperformance
http';;www.eia.gov;tools;fa,s;fa,.cfmEidKF13LtK8
http';;www.google.ro;urlE
saKiLrctKDL,KLsourceKimagesLcdKLcadKrDaLdocidKvhJh#?-
M?uuNG6LtbnidK2d4/dl7wa65,l6'LvedK2C%0OD"wLurlKhttp=3%=1J
=1Jthephotovoltaic.com
=1JLeiKsPi(0PnsGInf.vy:g+gGLbvmKbv.?3F3?>>8,d.PG?LpsigK%JODCQ4tnJM8k
v-,0+Rf7oy!yG?v$1g1G%LustK8332>3C<F233F3?<
http';;en.wikipedia.org;wiki;#olarHpanel