Solar energy is actually nuclear energy. Whew. I said it. Now, allow me to expound on solar alternative energy , to describe some solar "how to". Solar power refers to the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either through heating a transfer fluid, usually water; or through the photovoltaic effect. The basic building block of a solar-energy generating system is called the solar cell built into a PV (Photovoltaic) module. PV modules are connected together into panels to meet various energy needs.
According to a study at Stanford University, concentrated solar power (the mirrors heating water) and solar panels were in their top 7 best energy sources. Lets check out what makes these tops on the list.
Right now, TODAY, solar alternative energy is in use, in ways you may not even realize is solar energy.
- calculators have solar cells, pototovoltaic panels, that convert light directly into electricity. Efficiency is only 10, maybe 20%.
- emergency road signs, buoys, parking lot lights have solar panels
- solar-powered patio and garden lights.-the solar modules charge a battery, which in turn operates the electrical loads.
- Solar thermal systems powering a turbine generator by using sunlight to boil water for power – not very efficient, not widely used due to cost of upkeep.
- solar cells power satellites in outer space, using the same type of solar panels as solar calculators
Today, most solar efficiency is around 15%. Researchers around the world are at work, developing a solar cell that will achieve 40% efficiency. There are also researchers at work developing solar panels that are flexible, and still maintain a high efficiency rate. Imagine, if you will, a vehicle draped with flexible solar panels for the power source. Or a home, the rooftop solar panels not rigid, but flexible solar films adorning, bringing into the home solar alternative energy. So much so, that the home sells the energy back to the power companies.
There are certain factors that affects rigid residential rooftop solar power systems
- The number of hours of sunlight received daily
- The unrestricted access to the sunlight – nothing standing in between the solar panel and the sun, no shade, for if even one of the cells is shaded, the whole solar panel’s power production is reduced by more than half.
- The time of year
- The angle of the noonday sun, if the rooftop solar panel does not have the ability to keep its solar energy collecting surface perpendicular to the sun’s rays. This is essential, for it allows the most energy to strike the solar panel collecting surface at all times.
Presently, researchers are at work developing polymer solar cells. These cells use organic compounds to produce electricity from sunlight. The polymer (you know, low-cost plastics found in insulation pipes and toys and packaging materials) solar cells are much cheaper to produce than the traditional silicon- based cells. AND, they are environmentally friendly.
Presently, scientists are also at work creating an anti-reflective coating for solar panels. This coating, applied in 7 layers, has shown to boost sunlight absorption up to 90%. AND it has the ability, due to the 7 layers, to absorb sunlight from almost any angle. Do you see where we are going here? The scientists hope to have this latest solar development on the market by 2012.
Gone are the days of conventional solar technology – solar panels mounted on south-facing roofs, with unrestricted access to the sun. This new coating could change all that.
Best Solar Panels
There are more than one type of solar panel available today, and before you purchase the best solar panel for your specific need, do your research. There are 3 differing types of solar panel cells, or photovoltaic cells. Solar panels are distinguished by these cells.
- Monocrystalline solar cells are rigid, the most efficient, and of course, the most expensive.
- Poly-crystalline solar cells are also rigid, less expensive than the previous solar cells, and of course, less efficient. They are derived from a number of silicon crystals, as opposed to one single crystal.
- Ampoorous solar cells are constructed using a thin sheet of silicon on a substrate. These are less expensive, but also less efficient than the others mentioned here. These solar cells are, however, able to flex
The best solar panels on the market today are poly-crystalline. Solar panel cost is often offset with rebates offered as financial incentives to consumers. State and federal rebates are often available as well. And don’t forget the possibility of selling back to the grid some of their excess renewable energy generated. The current cost of installing 2 rigid solar panels on a homeowner rooftop runs upward of $15,000 before the aforementioned financial incentives. Countries like Germany and Austria are encouraging homeowners to sell their renewable power to the grid. Although this accounts for only a fraction of the country’s total power demand, solar generation in Germany is growing by 35% each year.
This is an ideal time to join the transition to solar energy, as it is becoming more user friendly. In fact, there is the hope that in the very near future, people will be able to go to their local hardware store, buy solar cells, and merely hang them and begin to recoup this solar alternative energy .
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