New Solar Energy

INTRODUCTION
Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving
technologies such as solar heating, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, solar architecture, molten salt
power plants and artificial photosynthesis.[1][2]
It is an important source of renewable energy and its technologies are broadly characterized as
either passive solar or active solar depending on how they capture and distribute solar energy or convert it
into solar power. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar
power and solar water heating to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building
to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light-dispersing properties, and designing
spaces that naturally circulate air
Solar power is arguably the cleanest, most reliable form of renewable energy available, and it can be
used in several forms to help power your home or business. Solar-poweredphotovoltaic
(PV) panels convert the sun's rays into electricity by exciting electrons in silicon cells using the photons
of light from the sun. This electricity can then be used to supply renewable energy to your home or
business.
The large magnitude of solar energy available makes it a highly appealing source of electricity.
The United Nations Development Programme in its 2000 World Energy Assessment found that the
annual potential of solar energy was 1,575–49,837 exajoules(EJ). This is several times larger than
the total world energy consumption, which was 559.8 EJ in 2012.[3][4]
In 2011, the International Energy Agency said that "the development of affordable, inexhaustible and
clean solar energy technologies will have huge longer-term benefits. It will increase countries’
energy security through reliance on an indigenous, inexhaustible and mostly import-independent
resource, enhance sustainability, reduce pollution, lower the costs of mitigating global warming, and
keep fossil fuel prices lower than otherwise. These advantages are global. Hence the additional
costs of the incentives for early deployment should be considered learning investments; they must
be wisely spent and need to be widely shared".[1]
Project Report # 5. Environmental Implications of Solar Energy:

The use of solar energy, from the environmental view point, is a completely being operation. In
case of solar thermal route, apart from land use, there exist absolutely no environmental
consequences of producing energy from these sources.
1. i. However, the sites for larger installations of solar power plants should be selected without
reducing the forest cover.
2. ii. Cadmium used in fabricating thin film solar cells, is both poisonous and a possible carcinogen.
Since only small quantities of cadmium are released from discarded PV panels, the dangers
involved are not so serious.
3. iii. Carbon dioxide produced while forming silicon from silica may increase the atmospheric
temperature causing green-house effect.
4. iv. Silicon dust is also an important occupational hazard.
How solar panels work
Light (photons) striking certain compounds, in particular metals, causes the surface of the material to emit
electrons. Light striking other compounds causes the material to accept electrons. It is the combination of
these two compounds that can cause electrons to flow through a conductor. Thereby creating electricity.
This phenomenon is what we term the photo-electric effect. Photovoltaic (or PV) means sunlight
converting into a flow of electrons (electricity).
Solar panel history
In 1839 Alexandre Edmond Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect which explains
how electricity can be generated from sunlight. He claimed that “shining light on an
electrode submerged in a conductive solution would create an electric current.”
However, even after much research and development subsequent to the discovery,
photovoltaic power continued to be very inefficient. People mainly used solar cells for
the purpose of measuring light.
Over 100 years later, in 1941, Russell Ohl invented the solar cell, shortly after the
invention of the transistor.
Advantages:
1. Solar power is pollution free and causes no greenhouse gases to be emitted after
installation
2. Reduced dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels
3. Renewable clean power that is available every day of the year, even cloudy days
produce some power
4. Return on investment unlike paying for utility bills
5. Virtually no maintenance as solar panels last over 30 years
6. Creates jobs by employing solar panel manufacturers, solar installers, etc. and in turn
helps the economy
7. Excess power can be sold back to the power company if grid intertied
8. Ability to live grid free if all power generated provides enough for the home / building
9. Can be installed virtually anywhere; in a field to on a building
10. Use batteries to store extra power for use at night
11. Solar can be used to heat water, power homes and building, even power cars
12. Safer than traditional electric current
13. Efficiency is always improving so the same size solar that is available today will become
more efficient tomorrow
14. Aesthetics are improving making the solar more versatile compared to older models; i.e.
printing, flexible, solar shingles, etc.
15. Federal grants, tax incentives, and rebate programs are available to help with initial
costs
Disadvantages
1. High initial costs for material and installation and long ROI
2. Needs lots of space as efficiency is not 100% yet
3. No solar power at night so there is a need for a large battery bank
4. Some people think they are ugly (I am definitely not one of those!)
5. Devices that run on DC power directly are more expensive
6. Depending on geographical location the size of the solar panels vary for the same power
generation
7. Cloudy days do not produce much energy
8. Solar panels are not being massed produced due to lack of material and technology to
lower the cost enough to be more affordable
9. Solar powered cars do not have the same speeds and power as typical gas powered
cars
10. Lower production in the winter months

New Solar Energy

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

New Solar Energy

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

New Solar Energy

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

INTRODUCTION

Project Report # 5. Environmental Implications of Solar Energy:

You might also like