Solar Panels Dissected
Solar panels are made of silicon, the second most abundant element on earth behind oxygen. However it is mostly found in oxidized form such as silicon dioxide, sand or quartz. In the refining process, carbon and SiO2 is heated to 1800 degrees. This results in 98% pure silicon and as such is not suitable for [...]
Solar Panels, Solar Cells, Photovoltaics
Photovoltaics (PV) is the best way to transfer light into electricity. Henri Becquerel in 1839 discovered the Photovoltaic effect. Solar panels incorporate a pn junction semiconductor across which electricity is generated.
Solar cells are packaged into modules containing a number of cells in series. The module protects the cells and produces a higher voltage than a [...]
Bring Down Energy Costs; Heighten The Looks Of Homes With A Solar Panel
Bring down energy costs; heighten the looks of homes with a solar Panel.
There was a time when people think that solar PV is expensive. Others see this as an expensive hobby, reserved only to those who have money to burn. Other segment of the population on the other hand sees the negativity about the solar [...]
Good Looking Solar Panels
Some see the aesthetics of one product as more important other than the services and the roles that it can deliver. This is actually true for most renewable energy producers and generators that are crafted and designed for home use. A number of households and homemakers see the good things of having a renewable energy [...]
Counting The Benefits Of DIY Solar Energy Projects
Why is there a need to take a good look at what solar panels, and many DIY solar energy projects? Well there are a number of reasons why, and all these things can help make your life easy and convenient. If you take a look at some states, you have already noticed the good things [...]
Focusing on concentrator photovoltaic
If you are new in the renewable energy business and consumption, then the concentrator isn’t a familiar term for you. But for someone who knows his renewable energy resource and his solar panels then this term is common and highly helpful. The concentrator photovoltaic is used as a label to one device when the sunlight [...]
Solar Tracker Benefits
To further the efficiency of the solar panel fitted at the roof, a solar panel tracker is often installed. The tracker is an add-on device that is geared towards improving the energy production of panel and making sure that the panel can get the right amount of energy from the sun at the right time. [...]
World Solar Challenge
Back in ‘94ish, I participated in the World Solar Challenge as part of a TAFE team. It was a very low cost, low tech entry, basically it was a fiberglass canoe shape body with two wheels at the front and one at the back. A big flat solar panel array above our heads which could [...]
Building On The Ridge or V Trough Solar Concentrator Array
A V trough solar concentrator array would look like the below, not shown is the solar tracker.
This particular array has a 60 degree concentrator, with the reflector surface the same length as half the width of a solar panel. The yellow lines represent the sun and show the sun reflecting to the middle of the [...]
Ridge or V Trough Solar Concentrator
A solar concentrator is a shiny surface that reflects sunlight on to a collector.
One type of concentrator is a ridge or V trough
In this diagram, the solar panel is 50mm wide, the angle of the reflector trough is
60 degrees and the reflector trough in 50mm. You can use the solar funnel
calculator to workout the angle. [...]