EEE-488

Renewable and Alternate

Energy Systems
Dr. Rabiah Badar
Assistant Professor, Office no. 323,
Electrical & Computer Engineering Department,
COMSATS University Islamabad.
rabiah.badar@comsats.edu.pk
Solar Energy
 Heat from sun used in solar thermal systems for
1. Space and water heating
2. Heating of fluid to high temperatures for steam generation
 Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems convert sunlight directly into electricity
 Benefits include
 No air pollutants or CO2 emissions [1]
 Minimal environmental effects
 Limitations: Variations in sunlight and low energy density leading to large
space requirements for power production

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 Solar Dish

Parabolic Trough Collectors

Solar Towers

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 PV Electricity
 Sunlight strikes solar cell and penetrates to
thick p-layer
 Electron hole pair created when sunlight
imparts enough energy to Si atoms in p-region
 Electrons move to one side while hole moves
to other side thereby creating potential
 Drives current through external circuit when
load is connected
 Animation in video tutorial at link below will
further help illustrate this operation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIJx2PRGKqw
 Efficiencies of commercially available cells
range from 5 – 15 %

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PV System Components
 Each cell capable of generating 1 – 2
Watts→ not much
 Multiple cells electrically connected in
packaged, weather-tight PV module or
panel
 Module generation capacity increases with
surface area
 Modules connected in groups to form PV
arrays
 Tracking systems keep PV arrays facing
the sun
 Maximum Power Point Tracking
 Expensive so most PV systems have fixed
arrays aligned to optimize physical and 51

economic performance
Solar Power Applications

1. Smallest PV systems power calculators and wrist watches

2. Medium PV systems can provide electricity to pump
water, power communications equipment, supply
electricity for single home or business, etc.
3. Large arrays supply electricity to thousands of electricity
consumers
4. Can supply electricity in locations where power
distribution systems do not exist

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Solar Pump Rooftop Solar

Grid Connected PV Array

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