In solar cell fabrication, however, one seeks to construct a largearea device because the power produced is proportional to the illuminated area. Photovoltaic pv cells convert sunlight directly into electricity without creating any air or. Solar pioneer michael gratzel invented emerging pv cells called dye sensitized solar cells which won him the 2010 millennium technology grand prize. A solar thermal energy collection system or solar system for short is defined as a set of equipment that intercepts incident solar radiation and stores it as useful thermal energy to offset or eliminate the need for fossil fuel consumption. Energy from the sun is referred to as solar energy. Introduction to solar thermal technology, applications and status. Students will examine atoms as the basic building blocks of matter, including electrons, protons, and. Pdf introduction to solar thermal technology, applications. Solar energy is abundant, in exhaustible, clean, and cheap. Special methods and types used in solar desalination are introduced, providing new thoughts, concepts, and feasible solutions in the desalination field, along with the thermal and economic efficiency relating to current technology.
The challenges that need to be addressed to make solar energy viable. Solar energy technology deals with all aspects of solar energy systems. To make sense of this technology space, and to produce meaningful technology assessments and projections, a technology framework is helpful. Krishna1 definition and brief history desalination can be defined as any process that removes salts from water. Introduction to solar cooling systems ced engineering. Please see lecture video for example images of each type of solar technology. Applied solar energy and introduction to solar technology and solar heating systems.
Applied solar energy and introduction to solar technology. Aug 15, 20 in order for solar windows to be feasible the solar cells need to be transparent. Solar energy represents the largest energy input into the terrestrial system. However, people also harness the suns energy in many other different ways. Framework for the solar energy technology universe.
Below, weve given a brief on solar power, how it works, and what may be in store for the future of solar. Photovoltaics is the process of converting sunlight directly into electricity using solar cells. This chapter is planned to give a comprehensive introduction to pv technology and provides the necessary technical knowledge for understanding of this technology. These cells are created from single crystals grown in isolation, making them the most expensive of the three varieties approximately 35% more expensive than equivalent polycrystalline cells, but they have the highest efficiency rating between 1524%. With improvements in technology, desalination processes are becoming costcompetitive with other methods of producing usable water for our growing needs. Generating electricity from solar energy equates to less consumption of fossil fuels, as well as the reduction of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Solar energy is abundantly available and has been utilized. Monocrystalline solar pv cells are the most efficient type of solar pv cell rated between 1524%, so smaller panels can produce equivalent amounts of electricity compared to other solar cell types. Suncube mark 5 solar appliance green and gold energy of australia. In an upcoming article well look at some exciting companies, both public and private, that are making great strides in. Analysis and design with the sunpulse method david kut, author search for other works by this author on. Introduction to solar cells horizon energy curriculum. In alisons free solar energy course, learn about solar technology, how solar technology can be used and how to encourage the use of solar power.
First solar company overview strategic objective to create enduring value by enabling a world powered by clean, affordable solar electricity. The types are based on the type of silicon used, specifically. Humans, like all other animals and plants, rely on the sun for warmth and food. In this module you will briefly get introduced to the history and early development of solar cells. Before the industrial revolution, the main source of energy was wood and biomass, which is a secondary form of solar energy. Since the beginning of time, people have been fascinated by the sun. Pdf solar cells are a promising and potentially important technology and are the future of sustainable energy for the human civilization. Photovoltaic pv cells convert sunlight directly into electricity without creating any air or water pollution. The stateoftheart of solar cooling has concentrated primarily on the developmental stages of systems in the last few years. Desalination processes may be used in municipal, industrial, or commercial applications. One of the properties of semiconductors that makes them.
Technology, resources, and policies energy design conference 2018 by paul helstrom minnesota power. Solar energy desalination technology explains how to obtain clean water from sea water using solar energy. Several hundreds of technologies exist to convert solar radiant energy into other usable forms that perform work for humanity. The first topic in an introduction course on solar cells is naturally a historical overview. Introduction to solar photovoltaic technology sciencedirect. Solar energy, with a focus on photovoltaics, which is the technology that allows to convert energy transported in light directly into electrical energy. Non non non nontracking tracking tracking tracking.
A first course in renewable energy iap 2009 massachusetts institute of technology instructor mohammadreza alam phd course description this is an engineering introduction to renewable energy technologies and potentials. Four basic functions are performed by a typical solar system. Renewable energy is a term used to refer to forms of energy that are naturally obtained from the environment and from sources that can be replenished naturally. If a 33 x 33 km parcel of land 1112 km2 out of 2,217,949 km2 was covered with solar. Solar photovoltaic pv technology is one of the most matured and fieldproven technology among different renewable energy technologies. These include solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, hydropower, and biomass. For example, fossil fuels, plant matter from a past geological age, is used for transportation and. Introduction to solar photovoltaics tg module pearson. Reduce the cost of solar modules using thin film technology and automated, scalable production migrate from subsidized markets to nonsubsidized markets by leveraging economies of scale become. There are also hybrid solar panels which use both crystalline and thinfilm technologies to increase energy capture. Currently this technology is being used in consumer products such as backpacks and ipad covers. In addition to rooftop arrays that provide electricity to homes and businesses, manufacturers apply solar panel technology to a wide range of consumer products.
Log in to continue log in to save your progress and obtain a certificate in alisons free solar energy solar technology and its use worldwide online course. Throughout history, farming and agriculture efforts have relied upon the suns rays to grow crops and. All solar pv panels are rapidly decreasing in price due to better production techniques and increased competition between manufacturers and suppliers. Solar energy is tenuous, undependable, and expensive beyond practicality. The course aims to introduce a general engineeringscience audience to the basic concepts of renewable energy. For the love of physics walter lewin may 16, 2011 duration. Mesquite solar project usa 150 up to 700 mw when complete neuhardenberg solar park germany 145 completed september 2012. Solar energy is the energy obtained by capturing heat and light from the sun. In one hour the earth receives more energy from the sun than the world consume in one year. Nccer, introduction to solar photovoltaics tg module pearson. One of the bestknown examples of green technology is the solar cell, which directly converts energy from natural light into electrical energy via the process of photovoltaics. The cigs technology, or copper indium gallium diselenide, uses no silicon at all, and can be made into panels with or without discrete cells. Introduction to concentrating solar power csp technology k. Pv systems are an economical option for remote cottages.
Also, methods of conversion of solar energy into electricity, working principles and materials used for various types of photovoltaic technology. Table of contents solar energy 1 energy from the sun 1 early solar energy commercial adaption 3 applications of solar technology 3 architecture and urban planning 4. Solar cells are made of semiconductor materials, such as silicon. The solar cell is the elementary building block of the photovoltaic technology. An introduction to solar energy design fundamentals. Green energy and technology solar pv and wind energy conversion systems an introduction to theory, modeling with matlabsimulink, and the role of soft computing techniques.
Despite its relatively low power density, this resource could potentially satisfy the global energy demand on its own. A group of 11 colocated plants california valley solar ranch usa 252 mw when completed templin solar park germany 128. Ancient civilizations personified the sun, worshipping it as a god or goddess. A clean, largescale solar thermal technology known as concentrating solar power is used in special power plants concentrating solar power or csp plants that use different kinds of mirror configurations to convert the suns energy into hightemperature heat. The resulting technologies have promising implications for the future of renewable energy and sustainability. The course is a tour through the fundamental disciplines including solar cell history, why we need solar energy, how solar cells produce power, and how they work. Pdf green energy and technology solar pv and wind energy. Introduction to concentrating solar power csp technology.
In solar cell fabrication, however, one seeks to construct a largearea device because the. Ken youssefi introduction to engineering e10 the name implies photo meaning light and voltaic meaning electricity. Solar to heat solar to electricity solar to heat solar to fuels electricity. Today it is a rapidly growing and increasingly important renewable alternative to conventional fossil fuel electricity generation, but compared to other electricity generating technologies, it is a relative newcomer, with the first practical photovoltaic devices demonstrated in the 1950s. A short introduction to solar photovoltaic energy generation. Technology has provided a number of ways to utilize this abundant resource. This type of solar cell is made from thin wafers of silicon cut from artificiallygrown crystals. We will also start to do some calculations of efficiency and energy output of solar cells. Solar cells and microelectronic devices share the same basic technology. Once a structure is built, structural and solar access issues can prevent a solar project from being cost effective, and, in some cases, can make it entirely infeasible. Solar cells are used on spaceships like the international space station pictured below, but are also used on earth in places that get lots of sunlight throughout the year. The energy needs of a typical home in texas could be met by covering only half of its roof with solar electric panels.
It is considered a green technology because it does not emit greenhouse gases. An overview of solar cell technology mike mcgehee materials science and engineering global climate and energy projectglobal climate and energy project center for advanced molecular photovoltaics precourt institute stanford university konarka nanosolar john benner provided the slides with the nrel logo. However, there are ambivalent views about solar, or photovoltaic, cells ability to supply a significant amount of energy relative to global needs. Dyesensitized solar cells have a very distinct advantage. The term renewable energy should not be confused with alternative energy, which describes sources of energy outside the regular forms like gasoline. The solar cell traps all the electrons released by the silicon and pushes them in one direction, which creates an electric current.
Solar panels capture sunlight and convert it to electricity using photovoltaic pv cells like the one illustrated above. Various methods have been researched, and some demonstrated, but only a few systems have been installed. How solar panels work introduction in this lesson, students will learn that sunlight is the underlying component of energy use. Whether you are looking for general insight in this green technology or your ambition is to pursue a career in solar, introduction to solar cells is an excellent starting point. Solar power is a form of energy harnessed from the power and heat of the suns rays. On the basis of these data prospects of solar energy for human and the possible ways of implementing the latest advanced photovoltaic technology are defined. For this reason it is useful to characterize light radiation by parameters associated with waves. Photovoltaic natural resources canada ressources naturelles canada systems an introduction to. Solar energy in one form or another is the source of nearly all energy on the earth. Dec 11, 2007 a short introduction to solar photovoltaic energy generation. The organisation of this book is roughly linked to the three lectures on photovoltaics pv, that are given at the faculty for electrical engineering, mathematics and com. The organisation of this book is roughly linked to the three lectures on photovoltaics pv, that are given at the faculty for. Covers the basic concepts of pv systems and their components, along with general sizing and electricalmechanical design. Solar energy potential in ksa power production in saudi arabia 2010 219 twh considering average yearly irradiance of 2.
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