Solar Energy
Simply usable energy generated by the sun in the form of electrical or thermal energy. It’s captured in several ways, the most common of which is a solar photovoltaic panel system, or photovoltaic system, that converts sunlight into usable electricity. Aside from the use of photovoltaic cells to generate electricity. Solar energy is commonly used in thermal applications to heat indoor spaces or fluids. Residential and commercial property owners can install solar water heating systems and design their buildings with passive solar heating in mind to take full advantage of the sun’s energy using solar technology.
Are you interested in benefiting from solar energy? Solar panels are installed on three main levels: residential, commercial and utility. Residential-scale solar is typically installed on rooftops or in open ground (ground-mounted) and generally ranges between 5 and 20 kilowatts (kW), depending on the size of the property. Commercial solar projects are generally installed on a larger scale than residential solar. Although individual installations can vary greatly in size and cost, commercial-scale solar arrays serve a consistent purpose: to provide on-site solar power to businesses and nonprofits. Finally, utility-scale solar projects are usually large. Install the several megawatts (MW) that provide solar power to a large number of utility customers.
For some solar shoppers who may not be able to install solar power on their property due to cost or other factors, community solar is a viable solar option that directly connects utility-scale solar projects to residential consumers. As such, community solar farms are usually built in a central location as opposed to any one client’s property. Residential consumers can sign up for a community solar project to get the many benefits of solar energy without installing solar panels on their property.
How do Solar Panels Work for Utilizing Solar Energy?
A Solar Panel (also known as a solar module) consists of a layer of silicon cells, a metal frame, a glass housing unit, and silicon electrical current transmission wires. Silicon (atomic number 14 in the periodic table) is a non-metallic substance that has conductive properties that allow it to absorb and convert sunlight into usable electricity. When light hits a silicon cell, the light causes the electrons in the silicon to move. This is known as the “photoelectric effect”, and describes the general function of the solar panel technology.
The science of generating electricity using solar panels boils down to this photovoltaic effect. It was first discovered in 1839 by Edmund Becquerel and can be considered a property of certain materials (known as semiconductors) that allow them to form an electric current when exposed to sunlight.
The photovoltaic process (or photovoltaic system) operates through the following broad steps:
1. Silicon PV solar cells absorb solar radiation
When sunlight interacts with the silicon cell, the electrons begin to move and causing an electric current to flow.
The wires pick up and feed this direct electrical current (DC) to a solar inverter to be converted into alternating current (AC)
A Brief History of Solar Energy
In 1954, the Bell Labs developed the first silicon photovoltaic cell. Although solar energy had previously been captured and converted into usable energy through various methods, after 1954 solar energy began to become a vital source of electricity to power devices over long periods of time. The first solar cells converted solar radiation into electricity with an efficiency of 4 percent – for reference. Many of the widely available solar panels today can convert sunlight into solar energy with an efficiency of more than 20 percent, a number that continues to grow.
Although solar adoption was slow initially. A number of state and federal incentives and policies have lowered the cost of solar energy enough for it to become more widely adopted. At this point, solar energy represents enough capacity to power 11 million of the country’s 126 million households.
2. Solar cost
Simultaneously with the increase in solar energy efficiency, the cost of solar panels has decreased dramatically. In the past decade alone, the cost of installing solar panels has fallen by more than 60 percent, and many industry experts predict that prices will continue to fall in the coming years:
How do lithium-ion batteries store energy?
A lithium-ion battery consists of 1) an anode and a cathode. 2) a bipolar separator; and 3) electrolyte fills the remaining space of the battery. The anode and the cathode are capable of storing lithium ions. Energy is stored and released when lithium ions move between these electrodes through the electrolyte. The lithium ion battery can be charged and then discharged. Many times: through the movement of the lithium ions.
When storing energy (while charging)
- The charger passes the current to the battery while in charging stage.
- Lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode via the electrolyte.
- The battery is charged with a voltage difference between the poles.
When using power (while discharging)
- A discharge circuit is formed between the anode and cathode.
- The lithium ions stored in the anode move to the negative electrode.
- Energy is used.
How do lithium-ion batteries compare to the lead acid batteries?
- In general, lithium-ion batteries are lighter in weight and can charge more quickly than lead-acid batteries.
- Lithium-ion batteries are more environmentally friendly because they do not contain any material with a high environmental load.
