Sun’s Energy – Sustainable Fuel for Pv Solar Panels

Solar Photovoltaic cells (Solar PV) are effectively panels that absorb the sun’s light (which is actually made of many tiny units of energy) and convert it via a sophisticated system of silicon wafers into an electrical current that can then be used to power up your home, office or electrical appliances directly. Although not yet highly visible in the UK domestic market, solar PV panels are already very common in calculators and watches (albeit in a much smaller size). The larger solar panels are getting increasingly more efficient and are now used to generate power for private homes, large office buildings and other commercial installations.

Solar Photovoltaic and Planning Issues

One can install solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of their home as well as along one of the outer walls or as standalone units. Before setting off on the installation process, it is essential to check with the local authority regarding planning restrictions. Most local authorities in England allow solar PV panels to be installed on residential roofs and as standalone cells as long as certain criteria are met (mainly that the panels are not attached onto listed buildings or within conservation zones). Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, however, are still working out their local legislation. For residents of these areas it is therefore advisable to consult the local planning authorities before installing the solar systems.

Why Use Solar Photovoltaics?

There are several good reasons to use solar PV cells. One important benefit is the money saved on electrical bills. Another important benefit is the reduction in carbon emissions thanks to using clean energy. Solar photovoltaic cells cut around 1.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year. Since the user generates the electricity directly from the sun, they are not dependent on the national grid, making them less prone to power cuts. Although solar power is effective in its own right, solar panels are highly appropriate for remote locations where the grid has no coverage (such as remote farms or research facilities).

How is Solar Photovoltaic Cell Installed?

The best way to install solar photovoltaic panels is to hire a professional installation crew. Professional solar PV cell installers should be certified by the Low Carbon Buildings Programme. It is important to note that there are good reasons one should not attempt to do the installation as a DIY project. Solar PV cells tend to be very heavy and, for roof installations, involve a support system that must be constructed and attached before any solar photovoltaic cell can be mounted. The installer will know the local electrical codes and safety regulations and will make sure that the solar photovoltaic grid or standalone units are code compliant.

With the increasing public awareness to global warming and climate change, there is substantially more focus placed on finding energy generation options that are not reliant upon fossil fuels. Of the alternative energy options currently available (wave, wind, hydrogen, solar, nuclear), solar power is considered to be the most cost effective and with solar panels dropping in price due to competition, this technology is likely to become ever more popular.

Tal Potishman
http://www.articlesbase.com/bath-showers-articles/suns-energy-sustainable-fuel-for-pv-solar-panels-626260.html

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2 Responses to “Sun’s Energy – Sustainable Fuel for Pv Solar Panels”

  • <(__)>:

    SOme opinions please?
    I know this essay is gonna take a while to read,but I"d be really grateful if I could get other people’s opinions on it. It had to be written in third person, so if u see anything outta place please tell me, also I’m really worried about my conclusion and introduction they just don’t really work-_-

    Thousands of years ago the Chinese already began to use coal for a source of fuel.(9) Since then the needs and demands for coal and other fossil fuels have gradually increased, especially during the last few decades.(15) With the overuse of this nonrenewable material like coal, petroleum and natural gas, people started to wonder what would happen if they ran out, what sort of energy source would be used if these fossil fuels that are millions of years old were used up. In response to this growing problem people all over the world are racing to create a new source of energy to replace their ever diminishing supply of fossil fuels. Another problem that they are currently faced with is the fact that as fossil fuels are burned to create electricity, gases were also being released into the air. Carbon dioxide, Sulfur dioxide and Nitrogen oxide are all gases that are being released when fossil fuels are burned. These gases are known to cause global warming and acid rain.(5)
    Energy sources that can replace these fossil fuels are called alternative energies. With alternative energies often referred to as “green energies”, people will be able to have a cleaner and more sustainable energy source. Hydroelectric power, which is produced from falling water, geothermal, power that is produced from the heat inside the earth and wind power, which is made from moving air or wind, are all possible replacements. Another possibility is also available. By using power from something that the Earth is constantly facing and receiving its power, whether people harness it or not, they can be provided with an unlimited amount of energy. A source of power that, aside from the cost of the materials needed to capture it, is free. This renewable power source is the Sun, a yellow dwarf star that is 93 million miles from the Earth. The electricity produced would be able to constantly power people’s homes cars and other electronics. How can it do such a thing though? What do people need to convert this energy that has existed for over five billion years into electricity? During this research, the researcher wishes to understand the potential of solar power as an alternative energy. The research will also explain how solar power works, the history of solar power and the benefits and disadvantages of using it as an alternative energy.
    Solar power is energy that comes from the Sun and is then converted into thermal or electrical energy. This energy from the Sun is extremely powerful, so much so that even a small amount of the sunlight that beams down on Earth can supply the energy and power needs of the entire human population more than 8,500 times.(4) Solar energy is created through the process of nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion occurs when matter in the state of plasma fuses together under extremely high temperatures. The plasma in the Sun is usually made up of hydrogen nuclei and electrons, and when many pieces of this matter fly together a heavier helium nucleus is created. Not only is a nucleus created from this fusion, heat energy is also released and travels down to Earth as solar energy. The heat energy takes hundreds of thousands of years to reach the surface of the Sun from its core though and only takes about 8.3 minutes to reach Earth’s surface.(17) When this solar energy reaches Earth at last it is used in two ways as solar power; active solar power and passive solar power.
    Active solar power is produced by solar collectors that collect the Sun’s energy and convert it into heat, cause air movement, or produce electricity.(18) One solar collector is a solar panel. Solar panels are made of photovoltaic cells (solar cells) and modules. Photovoltaic which means light (photo) electricity (voltaic) is the direct conversion of light into electricity. Photovoltaic cells therefore are used to directly convert light from the Sun into electricity. These cells are usually made of silicon, but in space, solar panels are made of gallium arsenide. Both are a special material that is known as a semiconductor. Semiconductors have a property called the photoelectric effect that lets them absorb photons (“packets or units”) of light which then release electrons. These electrons are released because the photons of light that are absorbed into the electrons provide them with enough energy to knock themselves out of the semiconductor. As these electrons or negatively charged particles are released an electric current is produced and can be used as electricity. The electricity is then stored into batteries for later use or immediately used by electronics like computers. (10) When a number of these photovoltaic
    to continue
    The electricity is then stored into batteries for later use or immediately used by electronics like computers.(10) When a number of these photovoltaic or solar cells are connected to each other and mounted in frame they are called a photovoltaic module. These modules supply electricity at a certain voltage, What a solar panel is
    such as the common 12 volts. Most solar cells produce 0.5 volts composed of(10)
    so a module must have at least 24 cells to supply an electronic that needs 12 volts of energy. The more modules there are or the bigger the array, the more electricity that can be made.(11) A problem with solar panels though, is the amount of voltage or electricity produced by it due to the fact that it is completely dependent on the amount of light the Sun is currently providing.
    Passive solar power
    conclusion
    It has been discovered during this research that solar power has the potential of becoming a great source of energy; even now it is being used by people in their daily lives to power things from a small calculator to a solar powered car. Scientists, in the race to create a renewable energy that can act as an alternative energy source have been able to further develop the uses of solar power and make it even better than it was before. Solar energy has had a long history; from the ancient civilizations of Egypt to Greece, people have used the Sun’s power to provide heat to their homes and grow their plants. Nowadays people are looking more into using the Sun’s power as a source of electricity, but the passive solar power that was discovered so long ago is still being used on modern day houses. Other people in history have also made many discoveries and inventions involving solar energy and power. Even Einstein one of the world’s greatest scientists studied and discovere

  • kysia aka baby girl:

    thats a really good essay and yea if i was your teacher i would give you an a plus and some extra credentials for all the reasearch and citings. rock on!!
    References :

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