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How Solar Energy Works
Author: Radha Kishan
The sunlight reaches the earth?s surface in form of:
1. light or the visible radiation (frequencies that produce the spectra ?violet to red? while passing through a prism)
2. heat or invisible infrared radiation (frequencies below [=infra] red spectrum)
3. high-frequency ultra-violet radiation (frequencies beyond [=ultra] violet spectrum). The use of the light needs no elaboration. The heat is the energy we use to dry clothes, run the water-cycle (evaporation-cloud-rain). The UV is that causes the tan on our skin or causes skin-cancer.
But the light form is used in another way now-a-days, a way that has opened towards the new horizon of renewable energy; the solar-electricity. This process of converting the light into electricity is called PV or photovoltaic.
How Do Solar Cells or Solar Panels Work?
Solar Cells convert light directly into electricity. On a sunny day, the electricity converted from an area of 1 square-meter can feed a 100W light-bulb. Solar cells, or photovoltaic cells are generally silicon-based (silicon is an element extracted from sand) pieces that absorb the sunlight.
One end of the Silicon (Si) piece is doped with Boron (B) which is considered as the positive (+ve) end and the other end is doped with Phosphorus (P), which is the negative (-ve) end. When light falls onto the solar cell, electrons are displaced from the atoms of Silicon. However, the electrons tend to move towards Phosphorus which attracts electrons (negative charges). Thereby, there is a surplus of electrons in ?ve end and a shortage of electrons in the +ve end.
If a conducting line is formed up outside the cell between the +ve and ?ve ends, an electrical flow is generated and a working circuit is constructed. This electricity is a direct current or DC (unidirectional flow) like a battery. But DC is not suitable for common use, so DC is converted through an ?inverter? to alternating current or AC. This AC can be transformed into required ?voltage? through a ?transformer?.
This process of converting sunlight into electricity is called the photovoltaic process. A combination of PV cells makes a PV module, a set of PV modules form a PV panel or commonly called solar panel. Even greater powers can be achieved through a collection of PV panels put together in an ?Array?.
The Chain of Harnessing Solar Energy
Summarising all these, here is the chain of Solar Energy:
a. The Sun radiates light
b. The PV cells convert solar radiation into electricity
d. This electricity is like battery-generated electricity (unidirectional flow of current) or the DC.
e. The inverter converts direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC).
f. The transformer guarantees that the voltage of the electricity coming from the inverter is the one we require.
g. The distribution scheme receives electricity produced by the system and combines it with other electric sources.
h. There could be electric meters to measure the amount of electricity produced.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/how-solar-energy-works-397145.html
About the Author
Radha Kishan is currently advertising for solar panels selling company and another website www.solarpanels-energy.com and his directory of solar energy
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How can I make solar energy work cheaply-can I rig up a device to provide energy for electrical appliances?
I have heard it can be done with aluminum cans placed with glass and water. Seems like a great idea using solar anyone know more?
Please tell me which internet sites provide the best explanation of how solar energy works to a 9 year old?
Any sites that would explain how photovoltaic cells work?
i want to make a replica of how solar energy works for class, how do i do that?
Explain how solar energy works?
Please explain, how it convert the heat energy in electrical energy, unless I got that bit wrong.
Start from the top and just go, but please, even though I must sound stupid, but can you say it simply..
How dose solar energy work?
Well i’m trying to make a model for school on solar energy and i was wondering how it works
you’d be better off understanding it yourself and then teaching it to your kid since then they can ask you questions and you’ll understand them better than a stranger.
Follow the path of solar energy from the Sun to your world:
http://www.earth4energyguide.com.cn
The Sun produces radiant energy by consuming hydrogen in nuclear fusion reactions. Solar energy is transmitted to the earth in portions of energy called photons, which interact with the earth’s atmosphere and surface. It takes about 8 minutes and 20 seconds for the sun’s energy to reach the earth.
The Earth receives and collects solar energy in the atmosphere, oceans, and plant life. Interactions between the sun’s energy, the oceans, and the atmosphere, for example, create winds, which can produce electricity when directed through aerodynamically designed wind machines.
Solar photovoltaic cells convert solar radiation into electricity (photovoltaic literally means “light energy”; “photo” = light, “voltaic” = energy). Individual cells are packaged into modules, like the one shown at the right; groups of modules are called arrays. Photovoltaic arrays act like a battery when the sun is shining, producing a stream of direct current (DC) electricity and sending it into the building or sharing it with the grid.
A weather station, located on or near the array, tracks current weather conditions at the site. The weather station usually contains an anemometer to measure wind speed, a pyranometer to measure the amount of solar energy reaching the array, and a thermometer to measure the temperature. The electronic signals from the weather station are transmitted to the data acquisition system where they are interpreted and stored for collection on a periodic basis.
The DC disconnect switch allows professional electricians to disconnect the photovoltaic array from the rest of the system. With the switch in the “off” position, workers can safely perform maintenance on other system components.
The inverter converts direct current (DC) electricity generated by the array into alternating current (AC) electricity for use in the building. Most electrical loads (energy-consuming devices like lights, motors, computers, and air conditioners) in schools, homes and businesses use AC electricity.
The transformer ensures that the voltage of the electricity coming from the inverter is compatible with the voltage of the electricity in the building.
The AC disconnect switch allows professional electricians to disconnect the building’s electrical system from the solar photovoltaic system. With the AC disconnect switch in the “off” position, workers can safely perform maintenance on the solar photovoltaic system’s components.
The electric meter keeps track of the amount of electrical energy produced by the solar photovoltaic system and sends electronic signals to the data acquisition system where they are recorded. Electrical energy is measured in kilowatt-hours. How much energy is contained in a kilowatt-hour? We’re glad you asked. Use our calculator to find out.
The data acquisition system (SolTrex logger) receives signals from the weather station and the electric meter. It runs a computer program to calculate and record the weather conditions and electrical output of the system, and it allows system owners and others to log in and download information from home, work, or elsewhere.
The electrical distribution panel receives electricity generated by the solar photovoltaic system, combines it with other electricity supplied by the electric utility company, and routes the energy throughout the building to power lights, appliances, computers, and other energy-consuming devices.
Everyone enjoys the benefits of solar electric energy without even thinking about it. The building or home owners also benefit by having a portion of their electrical needs met by solar power, resulting in lower monthly electric bills.
You may want to think about building your own solar panels…
Let me start off by saying we (Agua-Luna) are a non-profit organization that live, promote & teach 100% “off grid” living & complete self sufficiency”. To give you an idea of this, we typically don’t leave the Ranch but once or twice a year.
The following steps were taking directly out of a DIY guide I offer to those who would like to run their homes on solar power, reducing their monthly utility bills or even selling power back the electrical companies. The entire guide is available at http://www.agua-luna.com/diy_guides.html. It’s pretty simple but if you have any problems feel free to email us directly at info@agua-luna.com we can walk you threw the process.
Materials you will need…
A sheet of copper flashing from the hardware store. This normally costs about $5.00 per square foot. We will need about half a square foot.
Two alligator clip leads.
A sensitive micro-ammeter that can read currents between 10 & 50 microamperes. Radio Shack sells small LCD multimeters that will do, but I used a small surplus meter with a needle.
An electric stove. My kitchen stove is gas, so I bought a small one-burner electric hotplate for about $25. The little 700 watt burners probably won’t work — mine is 1100 watts, so the burner gets red hot.
A large clear plastic bottle off of which you can cut the top. I used a 2 liter spring water bottle. A large mouth glass jar will also work.
Table salt. We will want a couple tablespoons of salt.
Tap water.
Sand paper or a wire brush on an electric drill.
Sheet metal shears for cutting the copper sheet.
The first step is to cut a piece of the copper sheeting that is about the size of the burner on the stove. Wash your hands so they don’t have any grease or oil on them. Then wash the copper sheet with soap or cleanser to get any oil or grease off of it. Use the sandpaper or wire brush to thoroughly clean the copper sheeting, so that any sulphide or other light corrosion is removed.
Next, place the cleaned & dried copper sheet on the burner & turn the burner to its highest setting.
As the copper starts to heat up, you will see beautiful oxidation patterns begin to form. Oranges, purples, & reds will cover the copper.
As the copper gets hotter, the colors are replaced with a black coating of cupric oxide. This is not the oxide we want, but it will flake off later, showing the reds, oranges, pinks, & purples of the cuprous oxide layer underneath.
The last bits of color disappear as the burner starts to glow red.
When the burner is glowing red-hot, the sheet of copper will be coated with a black cupric oxide coat. Let it cook for a half an hour, so the black coating will be thick. This is important, since a thick coating will flake off nicely, while a thin coat will stay stuck to the copper.
After the half hour of cooking, turn off the burner. Leave the hot copper on the burner to cool slowly. If you cool it too quickly, the black oxide will stay stuck to the copper.
As the copper cools, it shrinks. The black cupric oxide also shrinks. But they shrink at different rates, which makes the black cupric oxide flake off.
The little black flakes pop off the copper with enough force to make them fly a few inches. This means a little more cleaning effort around the stove, but it is fun to watch.
When the copper has cooled to room temperature (this takes about 20 minutes), most of the black oxide will be gone. A light scrubbing with your hands under running water will remove most of the small bits. Resist the temptation to remove all of the black spots by hard scrubbing or by flexing the soft copper. This might damage the delicate red cuprous oxide layer we need to make to solar cell work.
Cut another sheet of copper about the same size as the first one. Bend both pieces gently, so they will fit into the plastic bottle or jar without touching one another. The cuprous oxide coating that was facing up on the burner is usually the best side to face outwards in the jar, because it has the smoothest, cleanest surface.
Attach the two alligator clip leads, one to the new copper plate, & one to the cuprous oxide coated plate. Connect the lead from the clean copper plate to the positive terminal of the meter. Connect the lead from the cuprous oxide plate to the negative terminal of the meter.
Now mix a couple tablespoons of salt into some hot tap water. Stir the saltwater until all the salt is dissolved. Then carefully pour the saltwater into the jar, being careful not to get the clip leads wet. The saltwater should not completely cover the plates — you should leave about an inch of plate above the water, so you can move the solar cell around without getting the clip leads wet.
now place in the sun with the magnified on top.
The solar cell is a battery, even in the dark, & will usually show a few microamps of current.
That’s it it’s that simple. If you’d a more detailed process & some pics (could
The cheapest PRACTICAL way of using solar energy at home is to make a solar cooker.
This is not a solar ‘oven’ with a big lens or mirror that broils things, it is a box painted black that gets hot as it sits out in the sun the same way your car does. They only cost a few bucks to make and they WORK! I made one and it works!
You will need two cardboard boxes that fit inside each other, some black paint, aluminum foil, glue or tape and a plastic oven- roasting bag like for a Thanksgiving turkey.
It is a slow cooker. You can’t burn anything in it, because it only gets up to about 320 degrees F. in it. The beauty of it is that it saves you energy (and money) two ways: first, you don’t need to run your stove on a sunny day to cook. Second, you don’t need to run your air conditioning extra because you didn’t heat up the house with the stove on!
Search on solar cookers. You will find sites with plans and step by step directions. Have fun!
PS. Beckee, I have to admit, your idea is the cheapest and the easiest. I forgot!
Mainly, we make use of the heat energy and light energy from the sun radiation. Heat energy can be applied to our heating system to reduce the need for other energy, while the light energy we can design our buildings to make good use of the sun light. Besides, we can also use semiconductor devices to convert the light energy into electricity. Moreover, there are emerging technology such as the artificial photosynthesis that convert sun light into fuel cells.