Unit-1

JSS Academy of Technical Education

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Renewable Energy Resources

Various Non Conventional Sources

Following are the six main non-conventional sources of energy:

Solar Energy:

Solar energy is light and heat energy from the sun. Solar cells convert sunlight into
electrical energy. Thermal collectors convert sunlight into heat energy. Solar technologies
are used in watches, calculators, water pumps, space satellites, for heating water, and
supplying clean electricity to the power grid. There is enough solar radiation striking the
surface of the earth, to provide all of our energy needs.
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Wind Energy:

Moving air turns the blades of large windmills or generators to make electricity, or to
pump water out of the ground. A high wind speed is needed to power wind generators
effectively. While wind generators don’t produce any greenhouse gas emissions, they
may cause vibrations, noise and visual pollution.

Biomass Energy:

Biomass is material of plants and animals that can be used for energy. This includes using
wood from trees, waste from plants and manure from livestock. Biomass can be used to
generate electricity, light, heat, motion and fuel. Converting biomass energy into useable
energy has many environmental benefits. It uses waste materials that are usually dumped,
and uses up methane (a greenhouse gas). Fuels such as ethanol can be made from
biomass and used as an alternative to petrol to power motor cars.
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Geothermal Energy:

Geothermal energy uses heat energy from beneath the surface of the earth. Some of this
heat finds its way to the surface in the form of hot springs or geysers. Other schemes tap
the heat energy by pumping water through hot dry rocks several kilometers beneath the
earth’s surface. Geothermal energy is used for the generation of electricity and for space
water heating in a small number of countries.

Tidal Energy:

If a dam or barrage is built across a river mouth or inlet, electricity can be obtained by the
flow of water through turbines in the dam, due to the tide. The movement of waves can
also drive air turbines to make electricity. Although tidal and wave energy don’t produce
pollution, they can cause other environmental problems.
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Hydro Power:

Fast-flowing water released from dams in mountainous areas can turn water turbines to
produce electricity. While it doesn’t cause pollution, there are many other environmental
impacts to consider. Ecosystems may be destroyed, cultural sites may be flooded and
sometimes people need to be resettled. There are also impacts on fish breeding, loss of
wildlife habitat and changes in water flow of rivers.

Magneto Hydrodynamic Generation:

Magneto hydrodynamics (MHD) studies the dynamics of electrically conducting fluids.

Examples of such fluids include plasmas, liquid metals, and salt water or electrolytes.
The word magneto hydrodynamics (MHD) is derived from magneto- meaning magnetic
field, and hydro- meaning liquid, and -dynamics meaning movement.
The fundamental concept behind MHD is that magnetic fields can induce currents in a
moving conductive fluid, which in turn creates forces on the fluid and also changes the
magnetic field itself.
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Solar Cells:
A solar cell (also called photovoltaic cell or photoelectric cell) is a solid state electrical
device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic
effect.
Assemblies of solar cells are used to make solar modules which are used to capture
energy from sunlight. When multiple modules are assembled together (such as prior to
installation on a pole-mounted tracker system), the resulting integrated group of modules
all oriented in one plane is referred to in the solar industry as a solar panel. The electrical
energy generated from solar modules, referred to as solar power, is an example of solar
energy.

Photovoltaic’s is the field of technology and research related to the practical application
of photovoltaic cells in producing electricity from light, though it is often used
specifically to refer to the generation of electricity from sunlight.

Solar Cells Materials

Different materials display different efficiencies and have different costs. Materials for
efficient solar cells must have characteristics matched to the spectrum of available light.
Some cells are designed to efficiently convert wavelength of solar light that reach the
earth surface. However some cells are optimized for solar absorption beyond earth’s
atmosphere as well. Light absorbing materials can often be used in multiple physical
configurations to take advantage of different light absorption and charge separation
mechanisms.
Presently mono-crystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon amorphous silicon cadmium
telluride and copper indium selenide / sulfide are being used.
Many currently available solar cells are made from bulk materials that are cut into wafers
between 180 to 240 micrometers thick and then processed like semi conductors.
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Solar Panels

A solar panel (also solar module, photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel) is a

packaged, connected assembly of photovoltaic cells. The solar panel can be used as a
component of a larger photovoltaic system to generate and supply electricity in
commercial and residential application. Each panel is rated by its DC output power under
standard test conditions, and typically ranges from 100 to 450 watts. The efficiency of a
panel determines the area of a panel given the same rated output - an 8% efficient 230
watt panel will have twice the area of a 16% efficient 230 watt panel.

Because a single solar panel can produce only a limited amount of power, most
installations contain multiple panels. A photovoltaic system typically includes an array of
solar panels, an inverter, and sometimes a battery and or solar tracker and interconnection
wiring.

Solar Power Plants

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using
photovoltaic (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Concentrated
solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of
sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaic convert light into electric current using the
photoelectric effect.
Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Sunlight can be converted
directly into electricity using photovoltaic (PV), or indirectly with concentrated solar
power (CSP), which normally focuses the sun's energy to boil water which is then used to
provide power. Other technologies also exist, such as Stirling engine dishes which use a
Stirling cycle engine to power a generator. Photovoltaic were initially used to power
small and medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by a single solar cell
to off-grid homes powered by a photovoltaic array.
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