Solar Panel Technology
What’s the Deal on Solar Panel Technology?
Author: Jakob Jelling
Current technologies focus on two different things to achieve this goal: the first are the materials used to make solar products, the second is increasing energy efficiency in different materials in order to get a better energy output with less materials.
The typical material used in solar panels has been crystalline silicon cut into discs and polished. This method can be costly because the materials used require a lot of manufacturing equipment to procure and extract the necessary amounts. There have been two changes recently involving silicon and solar panels.
The first difference is using multicrystalline silicon as opposed to crystalline silicon. Multicrystalline silicone can be produced in a number of different ways, one of them being by pouring molten into a cast, from there a number of techniques can be used to get a single-crystal silicon material or use fewer resources to get a lower grade but still useful silicon.
When it comes to using silicon for solar energy there also is a new solar panel technology that uses amorphous silicon. Amorphous solids are materials that have atoms that are not in any particular order. They are not formed in crystalline structures, and have structure and bonding issues, but economically they are less expensive.
The advantage of amorphous silicon is that it absorbs solar energy much more efficiently than single crystalline silicon. This means that a micrometer thick layer of amorphous silicon is needed instead of the about centimeter thick single crystalline silicon. This also means that the amorphous silicon can be distributed on a larger range of products and is more flexible than single crystal silicon.
Another arpanelmanual.com which focuses on solar energy. Please visit his web site to learn more about solar panel technology that is making headlines these days is polymer solar panels. Polymers are inexpensive plastics used in the construction of a number of different items today. These are very cheap materials to produce and use. Like amorphous silicon, solar products made with polymer solar cells are very flexible and very thin. The technology used in creating products with polymer solar cells use very similar technology to that used in photographic films.
This means you have a low materials and low production cost as the solar panel technology requires less in manufacture costs. The unfortunate aspect is that polymer solar cells are not as efficient as the more commonly used silicon cells. The technology is advancing in this field to make polymer cells viable, and it is expected within three years to have a comparable production of energy.
With more interest in green products, and renewable energy sources, the technologies used in extracting and constructing solar panels will continue to evolve. With reductions in cost, interest in these products is sure to increase.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/technology-articles/whats-the-deal-on-solar-panel-technology-1772519.html
About the Author
Jakob Jelling runs http://www.solarpanelmanual.com which focuses on solar energy. Please visit his web site to learn more about solar panel technology.
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
Well u really cant do any technologies easily because it would have to be a direct current device or else u would need an inverter which would change it to alternating current but those can be expensive and with a mini solar panel its not worth it. But a DS is direct current so thats not a problem u would probably want to get 2-4 mini panels with an output of 3 volts then put two in series if u only have two and if u have 4 then put two in series and then put those in parallel then u need to open the battery compartment and soder the red wires from the panels onto the positive of the battery then the black wires onto the negative of the battery then sucure the panels to the DS cover ie hot glue and if u have 4 panels then put two on the bottom two on the top and to charge it open up the DS in the sun
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
I can’t think of how it does. Solar panel technology involves moving electrons to create a current. Photosynthesis involves carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to create carbohydrates.
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
Most of the solar panels you see around the Med are solar heating, warming hot water. The “capacitor” is the header tank.
You can DIY these in the UK, or get reasonably priced versions. the more you pay the better. The best should be integrated with new build and heat pumps ( then that saves on air con too)
Photo-voltaics are not common. They are quite expensive to produce, especially good quality. Depending on your life-style they do not produce much useful energy when you want it. They are very good if you are “off the grid” and only have a few low energy lights and a pc.
It is far cheaper, more efficient and probably better environmentally to switch to a renewable energy supplier.
Centre for Alternative Technology may have diy guide s
http://www.cat.org.uk
August 29, 2006
7:20 am
Solar Panel Technology costs a lot in the UK?
is it because you save approx 60% on all future electricity and gas bills from lower usage and therefore you pay the installing company (trained by nasa) the savings from the first year out of the generocity of your heart because you would like to thank them for any other savings you might make?
or do they really cost that much to produce?
Visit crete, spain, greece or any hot med/european country and you’ll find the smallest shed has a massive panel and capacitor. But seemingly not the means to pay as much as we do.
sorry – not quite the question it started as – do they really cost that much to produce?
January 29, 2007
5:13 pm
How does photosynthesis relate to solar panel technology?
If you used a website please give it to me.
July 15, 2008
7:56 am
wat is d cost of settng up a solar panel technology?
and wat is the payback period of the users using this technology?
February 13, 2010
6:17 pm
How do I integrate solar panel technology into any electronics?
I would like to know how to make a regular mini solar panel compatible with any electronics. I was thinking about creating a solar powered DS and i don’t know how to make the DS compatible with the solar panel.
May 18, 2010
3:01 pm
what is solar panel technology?
I have to write about different types of solar panel technologies for school, but what is solar panel technology?