PV Gap

Nicholas Said:

what are the advantages and disadvantages of solar power?

We Answered:

The terms solar power and solar energy are often used synonymously but solar power usually refers to photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar thermal technologies that convert sunlight into electricity. In the case of solar PV, the process is direct, via silicon-based cells; in the case of concentrating solar thermal, the process involves heating a transfer fluid to produce steam to run a generator. While PV has advantages in terms of simplicity, the high temperatures produced by solar thermal systems also can provide process heat and steam for a variety of secondary commercial applications (cogeneration).

The utilization of solar energy ranges from traditional and basic technologies (related to food, heat and light) to modern, utility-scale power generation systems.

Saves you money

* After the initial investment has been recovered, the energy from the sun is practically FREE.
* The recovery/ payback period for this investment can be very short depending on how much electricity your household uses.
* Financial incentives are available form the government that will reduce your cost. (visit www.dsireusa.org to find out about incentives available in the state you live in!).
* If your system produces more energy than you use, your utility company can buy it from you, building up a credit on your account! This nifty little scheme is called "net-metering".

* It will save you money on your electricity bill if you have one at all.
* Solar energy does not require any fuel.
* It's not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of gasoline.
* The savings are immediate and for many years to come.
* The use of solar energy indirectly reduces health costs.

Environmentally friendly

* Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and coal) and sustainable, helping to protect our environment.
* It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional forms of electrical generation does.
* Therefore Solar Energy does not contribute to global warming, acid rain or smog.
* It actively contributes to the decrease of harmful green house gas emissions.
* It's generated where it is needed.
* By not using any fuel, Solar Energy does not contribute to the cost and problems of the recovery and transportation of fuel or the storage of radioactive waste.

Independent/ semi-independent

* Solar Energy can be utilized to offset utility-supplied energy consumption. It does not only reduce your electricity bill, but will also continue to supply your home/ business with electricity in the event of a power outage.
* A Solar Energy system can operate entirely independently, not requiring a connection to a power or gas grid at all. Systems can therefore be installed in remote locations (like holiday log cabins), making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of utility electricity to a new site.
* The use of Solar Energy reduces our dependence on foreign and/or centralized sources of energy, influenced by natural disasters or international events and so contributes to a sustainable future.
* Solar Energy supports local job and wealth creation, fuelling local economies.

Low/ no maintenance

* Solar Energy systems are virtually maintenance free and will last for decades.
* Once installed, there are no recurring costs.
* They operate silently, have no moving parts, do not release offensive smells and do not require you to add any fuel.
* More solar panels can easily be added in the future when your family's needs grow.



More about Solar energy advantages disadvantages
Solar Energy Disadvantages

* The initial cost is the main disadvantage of installing a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of the semi-conducting materials used in building one.
* The cost of solar energy is also high compared to non-renewable utility-supplied electricity. As energy shortages are becoming more common, solar energy is becoming more price-competitive.
* Solar panels require quite a large area for installation to achieve a good level of efficiency.

* The efficiency of the system also relies on the location of the sun, although this problem can be overcome with the installation of certain components.
* The production of solar energy is influenced by the presence of clouds or pollution in the air.
* Similarly, no solar energy will be produced during nighttime although a battery backup system and/or net metering will solve this problem. See www.dsireusa.org for details on how net metering allows you to save electricity and money.
* As far as solar powered cars go - their slower speed might not appeal to everyone caught up in today's rat race.

Clifford Said:

solar power how it works?

We Answered:

Light consists of photons.
Photons "excite" electrons in the outer "shell" of an atom which makes a "free electron".
The free electrons migrate to one "pole"
The imbalance of electrons between the poles is an electrical potential, just as a battery has.
Electrons flowing from a point of surplus to a point where there is a lack causes current to flow though the load.
The result is to take energy form a light photon and turn it into electron flow, current through a load.
Solar power to turn light into work is inefficient, about 30% or so.

Pretty much ALL semiconductors are light sensitive, either causing electrons to flow or inhibiting electrons to flow.

Keith Said:

what are some websites for how solar power works??? everywhere from the sun to the energy?

We Answered:

http://usa4energy.com

Tony Said:

Can someone explain how solar power works?

We Answered:

The basics of solar power.

Solar power is probably the cleanest, most viable form of renewable energy available and it can be used in several forms to help power your house. Many gardens now use solar lights or solar garden water features. The availability and wide use of solar power in gardens shows exactly how versatile it is as a source of energy. The technology and the systems are becoming smaller, more compact and better looking than when they were first created and used. Early examples of solar power systems can be seen in California where, in the 1980s, enough solar power panels were installed to power over 10 million homes.

How do photovoltaic tiles work?

Simply put photovoltaic tiles and other forms of solar energy work by converting some of the energy in sunlight into a clean form of electricity that can be used in our houses. The PV cells consist of a positive and a negative slice of silicon placed under a thin slice of glass. As the protons of the sunlight beat down onto the PV cell they knock the neutrons off the silicon. The negatively charged free neutrons are attracted to the silicon but are trapped by the magnetic field that is formed from the opposing fields. Small wires on the silicon catch these neutrons and when connected in a circuit an electric current is formed.

This reaction gives Direct Current electricity though, and it must be passed through an inverter to be converted into an Alternating Current used in our homes to power any electrical items. Some of the power is lost in this part of the process as the inverter is only around 95% efficient but this is a much greater efficiency than was once available.

The nature of the PV cell means there is little or no maintenance required and there are no moving parts; this means that a typical PV cell can last up to 40 years with no work besides an annual clean.

How can I use them to power my house?

There are several ways to use solar power around the house and not just for powering. You can use it to heat your hot water, heat your pool or even your central heating or if you have plenty of roof space and a reasonable amount of sun you can get a grid tie system; a grid tie system means that not only can you power your entire house but during those times when you create an excess of electricity you can sell it back to the grid. An efficiently solar powered home will be able to reasonably create between 75 and 100% of their own power and because of the grid tie system this means you may not have to pay for electricity ever again.

Susan Said:

how does solar power works?

We Answered:

Here you go:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/solar-c…

Andre Said:

Briefly, In A Couple Of Paragraphs, Please Explain How Solar Power Works???

We Answered:

Solar Thermal Energy is collected in a number of ways. Firstly there's the thermal solar collectors.

At the simplest this a "cold-frame" containing a zig-zig of thin pipe, usually painted black. This usually used to heat water, but not usually so that it boils. The "cold frame" allows in visible radiation, and when the radiation hits the inside of the box, much of it is converted into infra-red, ie heat, which the glass lid prevents from escaping (It's just like the greenhouse effect). pipes then take the heat out.

Then there's solar collectors which use a mirror, to concentrate the sun's heat onto a small space (works much like using a magnifying glass to set fire to paper). This heat can be used to boil water, or sometimes used to melt metals.

Photo-voltaic solar panels, work because photon ("particles" of light), can knock electrons off atoms. In special materials, like certain semiconductors, the electrons find it difficult to flow the way they came, and so will flow along a wire connecting the two sides of the panel.
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Generally solar power is used at source. Thermal panels provide low grade heat, but even that can work to reduce fuel bills. Of thermal solar power devices, It's only really solar concentrators that can be used to generate electricity, for transportation/use in other industries, as only it provides heat that's of high enough "grade" to power steam turbines.

Photo-voltaic panels, generate DC which is awkward to transport without significant losses, so again it tends to be used at source. In the future it might become the cheapest method of generating hydrogen (by electrolysis), which could then be stored/transported and used as a fuel.

How do they make money? A large proportion of the cost of generating power/making a product is the cost of fuel consumed in making the power/product. By choosing fuel/methods which are cheaper these overheads can be reduced, making a cheaper, and hopefully more competitive product. If water needs to be boiled as part of a process, some energy is saved, even if the water isn't boiled by the sun.

While Solar plants generally require more initial investment, there running costs are usually lower,as the don't burn fuel (It's not zero, as repairs/replacement etc are still needed) Once a plant has recoup the cost of building it, they're usually very cheep to run.

Don't think that they're able to get money from form carbon-trading (there's a slight increase in carbon, during building, which isn't recouped), but they might get some for using renewables.

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Opp's sorry for the length! Hope it helps anyway.