Solar Energy Au Ka Fei

Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Solar Energy
 In general terms, solar energy means all the
energy that reaches the earth from the sun. It
provides daylight, makes the earth hot, and is the
source of energy for plants to grow.
 Solar energy is one of the renewable energy
sources that has the most potential. Sunlight can
travel through air, clear glass, and plastic. When
the sun strikes a surface, light energy is either
reflected or absorbed. It is the absorbed light
energy that gets changed into heat and can be
used for power.

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Solar Energy
 Passive solar energy systems make use of
solar energy without using special equipment.
For example, a house may be built to direct the
sun onto a thick masonry wall that then stores
the heat for later distribution.
 Active solar systems require the use of
mechanical collectors to absorb the heat of the
sun. This energy is then stored or distributed
using fans, pumps, or other equipment.

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Passive and Active Solar
Active
Solar

Passive
Solar

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Active Solar Applications

Domestic hot water
Space heating (radiant)
Swimming pool and space heating
Commercial and industrial water heating
Solar absorption air-conditioning

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Solar Domestic Hot Water System

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Active Solar Space Heating System

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Swimming Pool Solar Water Heating
System

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Solar Heat Water System (PV Powered)

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Active Solar System Components

Collector
Storage tank
Heat exchanger
Pumps
Piping, valves, system controller

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Solar Collectors

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Flat-plate Solar Collector

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Parabolic Trough
Curved mirrors which form troughs that focus the sun's energy on
a pipe. A fluid, typically oil, is circulated through the pipes which
is used to drive a conventional generator to create electricity.

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Solar Dish

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Power Tower
Solar Central Receivers or "Power Towers" consist of
a tower surrounded by a large array of heliostats.
Heliostats are mirrors that track the sun and reflect its
rays onto the receiver, which absorbs the heat energy
that is then utilized in driving a turbine electric
generator.

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Power Tower

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Comparison of Solar Thermal
Technologies

Power Tower Parabolic Dish Parabolic Trough

Grid-connected Stand-alone small Grid-connected electric
Applicati electric plants; power systems; grid plants; process heat
ons process heat for support for industrial use.
industrial use.

Dispatchable base Dispatchable Dispatchable peaking
Advanta load electricity; high electricity, high electricity;
ges conversion conversion commercially available
efficiencies; energy efficiencies; with 4,500 Gwh
storage; hybrid modularity; hybrid operating experience;
(solar/fossil) (solar/fossil) hybrid (solar/fossil)
operation. operation operation.

[Source: Status Report on Solar Thermal Power Plants. Pilkington Solar International
GmbH: Cologne, Germany,1996]
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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Photovoltaics (PV)

Poly-crystalline Silicon Module

Mono-crystalline Silicon Module

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

What is Photovoltaics
• Photovoltaics (PV) are solid-state, semi-conductor
devices that produce electricity when exposed to light.
Photo = light, voltaics = electricity.
• photovoltaics actually means "electricity from light."
Many hand-held calculators run off power from room
light, which would be one example of this phenomenon.
Larger power applications for this technology are
also possible.
• Sunlight knocks electrons free in the photovoltaic
material, which flow out of the device as electric
current. The more intense the sunlight, the stronger the
electric current.
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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

How Does PV Works

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

PV Modules

Click here for PV module video
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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Types of PV Systems
Small stand-alone DC system
Stand-alone AC-DC system
Stand-alone AC system
PV-generator combination
Utility interface
Utility intertie

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Stand-alone PV Systems

(a) Small stand-alone DC system (b) Stand-alone AC-DC system

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Grid-connected PV Systems

(a) Utility interface (b) Utility intertie

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Innovative PV Module Designs

(a) Colour PV modules (b) Semi-transparent PV screens

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Do you know
what is Building
Integrated
Photovoltaic
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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV)

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Building Integrated Photovoltaic
• With Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV),
photovoltaic material becomes an integral part of
the building: the walls, roof, and vision glass.
• Sunlight falling on the photovoltaic components
creates electricity. This electricity flows through
power conversion equipment and into the building's
electrical distribution system, feeding electricity to
the building's electrical loads.

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

PV
Applications
in Hong Kong
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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

PV Powered Bus-Stop

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Wanchai Tower

Study Tour: Solar Electricity Generation System at Wanchai Tower

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

Solar Charger

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Solar Energy Au Ka Fei
Chan Chi Hok
Tseng Toi Ngai

The
End
71301F/1A. Solar energy / page 34