Solar Energy:

The Ultimate Renewable

Resource

Prepared by:
Fortaleza, Debbie Lou
Esloyo, Genelyn
Espadero, Bernard
Magaspag, Wilther jan
Manait, Frederick
Marcelo, Jenvy Claire
Pulgado, Kimberly
Quinatagcan, Sharwin
 What is Solar Energy?
 Originates with the
thermonuclear fusion
reactions occurring in the
sun.
 Represents the entire
electromagnetic radiation
(visible light, infrared,
ultraviolet, x-rays, and radio
waves).
 Radiant energy from the sun
has powered life on Earth for
many millions of years.
 is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is
harnessed using a range of ever-evolving
technologies such as solar
heating, photovoltaics, solar thermal
energy, solar architecture, molten salt power
plants and artificial photosynthesis.
 It is an important source of renewable
energy and its technologies are broadly
characterized as either passive solar or active
solar depending on how they capture and
distribute solar energy or convert it into solar
power.
 Photovoltaics
Photo+voltaic = convert light to electricity
 Photovoltaic Solar Panel
 absorb sunlight as a source of energy to
generate electricity. A photovoltaic (PV) module
is a packaged, connected assembly of typically
6x10 photovoltaic solar cells. Photovoltaic
modules constitute the photovoltaic array of
a photovoltaic cell that generates and
supplies solar electricity in commercial and
residential applications.
 Types of Solar Cell
Solar Cell Type Efficiency-Rate Advantages Disadvantages

High efficiency rate; optimised

Monocrystalline Solar Panels
~20% for commercial use; high life- Expensive
(Mono-SI)
time value

Sensitive to high temperatures;

Polycrystalline Solar Panels
~15% Lower price lower lifespan & slightly less
(p-Si)
space efficiency

Thin-Film: Amorphous Relatively low costs; easy to

~7-10% shorter warranties & lifespan
Silicon Solar Panels (A-SI) produce & flexible

Solar tracker & cooling system

Very high performance &
Concentrated PV Cell (CVP) ~41% needed (to reach high
efficiency rate
efficiency rate)
 Advantages and Disadvantages
 Advantages
 Solar power is pollution free and causes no greenhouse
gases to be emitted after installation
 Renewable clean power that is available every day of the
year, even cloudy days produce some power
 Return on investment unlike paying for utility bills
 Virtually no maintenance as solar panels last over 30 years
 Ability to live grid free if all power generated provides
enough for the home / building
 Can be installed virtually anywhere; in a field to on a
building
 Disadvantages
 High initial costs for material and installation and long
ROI
 Needs lots of space as efficiency is not 100% yet
 No solar power at night so there is a need for a large
battery bank
 Depending on geographical location the size of the
solar panels vary for the same power generation
 Cloudy days and during winter months do not produce
much energy
 Solar powered cars do not have the same speeds and
power as typical gas powered cars
 Solar Cells Background
 1839 - French physicist A. E. Becquerel first recognized the
photovoltaic effect.

 1883 - first solar cell built, by Charles Fritts, coated semiconductor

selenium with an extremely thin layer of gold to form the junctions.
 1954 - Bell Laboratories, experimenting with semiconductors,
accidentally found that silicon doped with certain impurities was
very sensitive to light. Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller and Gerald
Pearson, invented the first practical device for converting sunlight
into useful electrical power. Resulted in the production of the first
practical solar cells with a sunlight energy conversion efficiency of
around 6%.
 1958 - First spacecraft to use solar panels was US satellite Vanguard
1
 How does it work

The heart of a photovoltaic system is a solid-state device called a

solar cell.
Solar Panel Parts
Solar Panel Installation
Solar Power Plant
Driven by Space Applications in
Early Days
Main Application Areas – Off-grid

Space

Water Telecom
Pumping

Solar Home Systems

Main Application Areas
Grid Connected

Commercial Building
Systems (50 kW)

Residential Home PV Power Plants

Systems (2-8 kW) ( > 100 kW)
 So why Solar Power?
 With the amount of solar energy the planet
receives we have the potential to provide at
least 1,000 times the energy consumed globally.
(in 2008)

 On a sunny day the sun gives off 1,000 watts of

energy to the earths surface per square meter
 Sunlight is infinite, unlike many of our other
energy sources
 Benefits
 Powered by the Sun
 Zero emissions
 Little maintenance once installed
 Can last a lifetime
 For every $mill. Invested, 5-15 jobs are created