SOLAR ENERGY :

IT’S FUTURE ADVANTAGES AND BETTER WAY TO STORE IT

1. Deepak Kumar 2. Amir Khan 3. Sanhita Koley 4. Shafaq Nigar

Institute of Engineering and Management, Salt take, Sector V, Kolkata-India.

Email : deepakkumar737373@gmail.com
amirkpatna@gmail.com
sanhitakoley2011@gmail.com
shafaqnigar333@gmail.com

Abstract
The increasing demand and harsh use of non renewable resources has
put a big question mark in front of the world. It has been estimated that
most non renewable resources will be depleted in next 50-60 years if the
use continues at same rate. So the role of renewable energy becomes vital
and the most common way is sun, say solar energy.
Solar energy is the energy radiated in form of heat and light which is very
easily available to us in an enormous amount. As we know sun has an
enormous amount of energy stored in it. So, it is a witty idea to use that
energy.
With the help of silicon cells and solar panel we can store solar energy in a
large amount with low cost and time.
Keywords: Solar energy, renewable resource, silicon cells, solar panel.

1. Introduction:
Solar energy is referred to as the energy that comes from the sun’s rays.
There are many way to use this power including heating a house,
generating electricity, desalination of seawater etc. Energy is not always
outside rather it is something that makes the world go around including
heating of food, playing music, watching TV, running of vehicles. In fact
today’s world is fully dependent on energy.
However, in today’s developing world, the exponentially increasing
demand of energy has put a fierce pressure on leading the development to
its climax, the energy resources which we are using currently are
estimated to run for upcoming 50-60 years only if the use remains same.
This could create a very vast problem in future to all comforts of human
beings as we are totally dependent on energy resources and one day all
the energy could just go last.

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New technologies like:
1. Electric grid

A grid-connected photovoltaic power system, or grid-connected power

system is an electricity generating power system that is connected to the
utility grid. It basically consists of solar panels, one or several inverters, a
power conditioning unit and grid connection equipment which can be
introduced in villages and small towns.
2. Better batteries
Solar batteries work by storing the DC energy being produced by your
solar panels during the day and make it available when the sun is not
shining. In most cases, you have to use a power inverter with your
batteries to convert DC electricity into 120 volt or 230 volts AC for use in
the home.
Overcharging is the enemy of any deep cycle battery, solar panels
batteries also need a solar charge controller to manage the power from
solar panels going into them. A solar charge controller ensures that the
batteries are not overcharged during the day, and that that power doesn’t
run backward to the solar panels overnight and drain the batteries.
Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM), Gel lead-acid batteries, lithium Iron
Phosphate (LiFePO4) must be used.
Photovoltaic Cell
Meeting the worlds over growing energy demands in an environmentally
responsible and sustainable manner is one of the most pressing issues
facing us. Solar energy provides approx 1000 watts of power/m2 on a
sunny clay.
The earliest technology used to store solar energy is the solar cells also
known as photovoltaic cells which converts solar energy into electricity.
Working of Solar Cell
Step 1. Light is absorbed by the solar cells and knocks electron.
First light strikes a photovoltaic cells and is absorbed by the semi
conducting materials it is made from (usually silicon). This incoming light
energy causes electrons in the silicon to be knocked loose which will
eventually become the solar electricity you can use in your home.
Step 2. Electron begin to flow creating an electrical current
A solar cell consist of silicon PN Junction diode top surface is P-layer of
silicon doped usually with boron the lower layer consist of N-layer i.e.
silicon doped with germanium.
The generation of electro motive force (EMF) by the solar cell, when light
falls on is due to be following three basic process:-
(a) Generation (b) Separation (c) Collection
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Generation:- The generation of electron hole paid due to light with energy
to h > Eg close to the junction.
Separation
The separation of electrons and holes due to the electric field of the
depletion region.
The electrons are swept to the n-side and the holes p to the p-side
collection.
Collection
The electrons reaching the n side are collected by the front contact and
holes reaching the p-side are collected by the back contact thus the p-side
becomes positive and the n-side becomes negative giving rise to photo
voltage when external load is connected

The graph showing VI characteristic with V along be X-axis and I along the
Y-axis
How to improve effectiveness of solar cells.

1. Reducing the shading caused y the busbars:- In the front of the

solar panels there are silvery lines across them going horizontally or
vertically these are tiny metals wire on the front of the solar cell called
busbars they cause some of the light to be reflected rather than
converted into energy. The highest efficiency premium panels have
`rear contacts’.

2. `Organic’ Solar Cells:- This film solar cells do not require expensive
silicon substrate. They can be made flexible and used in other design
application as they are organic and better for environment and are also
recyclable.

3. Silicon improvement (mono or poly crystalline):- The new range of

solar cell manufacturer are using PERC, HIT and (IBC to improve cell
efficiency mono crystalline and poly crystalline cells made up the up
the bulk of market today.
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4. Next generation cell:- Gallium-Arsenide multi junction and other
advanced technologies can be the next generation solar cells.

Sl. Energy Storage Cell efficiency and New technology

No. Classification composition improvement
Sun power (IBC)
Mono crystalline silicon
1 Premium Plus Panasonic HIT
20-22%
PANDA, Zebra
PERC, n-PERT
Mono crystalline silicon
2 Premium (Passive emitter Rear
20-22%
contact) Bifacial
Mono crystalline or Aluminum back side
3 Standard
polycrystalline 15-20% contact
Thin film solar cell 15% or
4 Economy CdTe, CIGS
below

5. Concentrators:- Solar panels output power may be increased via a

light concentrators such as Fresnel lens or mirror with this the output
can be increased by 50%.
6. MPPT controller:- MPPT controller stands for maximum power point
tracking MPPT controller don’t turn excess power to heat it turns it into
additional charge current so that if the solar panel is putting out 10A,
the battery may actually be charging at a higher current (12A).
Highest efficiency of different composite solar cell includes.
(1) Multi cell gallium arsenide : 44%
(2) Single cell gallium arsenide :- 29%
(3) Crystalline silicon :- 25%
(4) This film copper-indium-gallium-selenium- 20%
(5) PV technologies (dye – sensitive cell) – 11%
Solar Cells manufacturing by using Nanotechnologies
Using Nano particles in the manufacturing of solar cells has the following
benefits.

(i) Reduced manufacturing cost as a result of using a low

temperature process similar to printing instead of the high
temperature vacuum deposition process.
(ii) Reduced installation cost achieved by producing flexible rolls
instead of rigid crystalline panels.
(iii) In the long term nanotechnology version should both be lower
cost and by using quantum dots should be able to reach higher
efficiency.
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Nanotechnology application under development
(i) Researchers at Michigan technological university have
developed a honeycomb like structure of graphene for
manufacturing solar cell in which graphene sheets are held apart
by li2, CO3 and this cell has achieved 7.8% conversion of solar
energy to electricity.
(ii) Researchers at MIT are studying solar cells made from single
molecule thick sheets of graphene and materials such as
molybdenum disedine. They are predicting that this type of cell
can produce upto 1000 times as much power than conventional
cells.
(iii) Researchers at Princeton University have developed a solar cells
that eliminates loss due to reflection of light .They obtain it by
using nanometer thick gold nanomesh along with an active layer
thinner than wavelength of light.
(iv) Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have determind that sun
can be concentrated in Nanowire due to resonance effect. This
effect can result in more efficient solar cells.
(v) Researchers at Duke University are developing other method of
reducing loss by reflection by using silver nano cases scattered
over a thin gold layer.

Different combination of photovoltaic cell

Different combination of cells is also used to improve efficiency of the PV
cells.
(i) Series combination of PV cells
If more than two cells are connected in series with cell other then the
output current in the cell remains same and the input voltage become
double.

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 (ii) Parallel combination of PV cells
In the parallel combination of the cells the voltage remains same and
current become double.

Series parallel combination of PV Cells.

In the series parallel combination both the voltage and current increases
then by solar cells are manufactured by series parallel combination.

Efficiency of Solar Cells

The efficiency of solar cells is determine as the fraction of incident power
which is converted to electricity is defined as
Pmax = Voc Isc FF

Voc is the open circuit voltage

Isc is the short circuit current
FF is the fill factor
And
 is the efficiency
𝑉𝑜𝑐 × 𝐼𝑠𝑐 × 𝐹𝐹
= 
𝑃𝑖𝑛
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Fill factor

The fill factor more commonly known by its abbreviation `FF’ is a

parameter which in conjunction with Voc and Isc determine the3 maximum
power from a solar cell.
FF = Voc – ln Voc + 0.72 Voc + 1

Hydrogen generation by photoelecrolysis

In today’s technological world several methods have been developed to
store solar energy. Splitting water molecule to form H2 and O2 and making
use of it is a nice idea.

Pure water molecules are splitted to form H2 and O2 by using photo

electrodes . These photo electrodes are made of nano particles of
elements like lanthanum, iron, and oxygen .These photo electrodes
generate enough energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen splitting
feasible.

The generated current density is 10-30mA/cm2 at this current density

voltage requirement is 1.35V
There are certain requirements for manufacturing photo electrode.
1 They should not deplete rapidly i.e higher durability.
2 There should me small loss in conduction of electrons so that it provide
more splitting reaction.

Efficiency of photolysis is measured by solar to hydrogen (STH). STH is

calculated by the formula
n(%)=1.23J*100/E where.
E=100 wm/cm2
J =hydrogen current density
theoretical (STH) conversion efficiency is 42% but actual photolysis has
only 8 -14% efficiency.
Hydrogen fuel cell
A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that produces electricity without
combustion by combining hydrogen and oxygen to produce water and heat

The amount of power produced by fuel cell depends upon fuel cell type,
cell size, the temperature at which it operates and the pressure at which
yhe gas is supplied to the cell. Still a single fuel cell produces enough
electricity for a small application only so, they are connected in series into
fuel cell satck which may consist of hundred of fuel cells.

Summary
Advancement made in improving the efficiency of photovoltaic cell will
greatly help to reduce our dependence on the conventional source of
energy. Solar energy is steady, eco-friendly and abundant source of

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energy which is the only solution for growing energy crisis across the
world.
References
[1] D.Mills “Advancement in solar and thermal electricity technology “solar
energy volume 176, pg 19-21, published in 2004.
[2] R.J Komp “ Practical photovoltaic electronics from solar cell” anate
publication USA, pg 142-148
Published 2008.
[3] B. Goss , Allan Shepherd “choosing solar electricity a guide to
photovoltaic system” international journal of science and technology,
volume 72, pg 48-56 ,published 2012.
[4] Alex Joseph , Kim Jonathan “ solar tracking for maximum economic
harvesting” international journal of science, volume 102, pg 123-
129,published 2009.
[5] Dong Yeong lee, Andrew Kotz “fuel cell and economic benefit”, journal
of power source, vol393 pg 217-229, published 2018 .