23/05/2020
For GPB ((General Public (knowledge) Benefit)):
Solar Energy & Power concept, power generation Technique &
Training on Solar power & products development
Introduction:
Electricity from Sunlight
Photovoltaic systems use sunlight solar energy to generate electricity. It lowers your utility bill, and helps reduce fossil-fuel consumption and global warming. A system lasts for many years, and adds to the value of your home /office/institution/factory/industry.
Photovoltaic Systems
Photovoltaic solar systems converts the photon energy in the sunlight into electron volts to generate electricity. The potential is huge and natural. There are no moving parts, so once installed they deliver energy as long as the sun shines. The solution is there, and you can be part of it.
Frequently asked questions and answers:
Q: What is solar power?
A: The sun is a massive nuclear fusion reactor and emits the solar radiation as radiant energy that creates electromagnetic energy. Energy is produced in the nuclear reaction in the form of heat and light called electromagnetic radiation. The spectrum of solar radiation is close to that of a black body with a temperature of about 5800 K. About half of the radiation is in the visible short-wave part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The other half is mostly in the near-infrared part, with some in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum. The part of the electromagnetic radiation that we can see, we called light. But basically, light is one form of energy. Electricity is another form of energy. Now, it is possible to convert the energy in the form of light to energy in the form of electricity. So when we take light from the sun and convert it to electricity, we call it solar power. The unit of measure is Watts or kilowatts per square meter.
Q: How is solar power generated?
A: Some materials like silicon “doped” with impurities, have the special properties of generating a small electric current from light. This is based on physical properties of the material. When this silicon is applied on a thin wafer like material, and connected to wires, we see a small current flowing. This thin wafer material with silicon is called a photo voltaic cell. Silicon is one of the naturally formed semiconductor materials. Now the technology development has shown as many non-silicon materials, as well as few selective non-metals also can be used as solar cells or panels that can harvest electric power from solar energy.
Q: How much power can be generated using the photovoltaic cell?
A: Typically each cell produces a very small amount of power, say 2 - 4 watts peak power. By itself, a cell cannot generate enough power that is useful for day-to-day activities of any facility. So, what we do is connect many such cells in a series or parallel to fabricate solar module or solar panel to produce a larger amount of electrical energy. The cells in a panel are framed and protected by glass (or other transparent material). Panels can come in various sizes. A 96-cell Panel can theoretically produce about 430 Watts of power now. For larger uses, we could combine several panels.
Say you want a 1KW system to support essential house hold needs in case of power failure or to supplement grid power. Then you’ll need about 3 panels of above said 430 watts power size.
Q: How is solar power different from the power from the grid?
A: One difference is the nature of the current. Current generated in a solar panel is direct current (DC). The current coming from the grid is alternating current (AC). Most household devices we use today are designed for AC. So when we get power from solar panels, it has to be converted to AC. We use a small electronic device called an inverter that will convert DC to AC. At that point, the power from the solar panels can be used to run most appliances. The other big difference between the power from the grid and solar power is in the way it is generated. Most grid power is generated by burning fossil fuels (coal or lignite or natural gas etc.as they are still cheaper fuel today). But there are environmental problems associated with burning fossil fuels. Climate change, mercury pollution, and other sulphur based pollutants. As we demand more and more power for our day to day life, we end up polluting our environment more. Solar power is an environmentally friendly alternative. Some energy, that are pollutant is spent during manufacturing the solar cells and negligible amount during fabricating the panels. After that, no pollution is emitted for the rest of the life of the solar panels and solar power generation.
Finally, one difference is that as load on the grid increases, we experience sporadic outages and power cuts. Your solar panels are your own. As long as the sun is shining, you have all that power to put to your own use.
Q: What happens during cloudy days or at night when there is no sun?A: Solar power is available only when the sun is shining. So on very cloudy or rainy days and at night, you need some other source of energy. One option is to switch to the grid during the night. The other option is to use a battery pack to store solar energy during the day and then use the stored energy from the batteries during the night.
Q. How much does solar power cost?
A: The cost varies on time scale and is decreasing. Once installed, solar power is practically free because sunlight is free. So the main cost associated with solar power is the initial cost of the panels and installation.
Generally speaking, solar panels are guaranteed for about 20-25 years. If you spend the initial money and install the panels, you get practically free power for the next 20-25 year. So from a lifecycle cost perspective, you can actually make money from a solar panel installation by way of the savings we obtain.
Q: How is the market place for solar power?
A: The present market status is quite encouraging due to:
Most people are very cautious and concern about rising energy cost, and potential reduction in subsidy on fossil fuel based power generation gradually which would further push up the non-renewable energy price.
Many industry and commercial institutions planning to go for solar rather than diesel generator set, as they start to understand the difference in total cost of ownership between the two, and encouraged by Govt. support.
Solar power system cost is reducing and stabilizing.
Future power/ energy are mostly depending on renewable solar, wind, nuclear and water only. So solar has considerable market.
Q. From a small business perspective, what are the business opportunities related to solar power generation?
A: This is a booming field now and the opportunities for skilled and qualified people are enormous. Take solar panel fabrication. Today there are a handful of large manufacturers. But there is scope for many smaller fabricators. The solar cell manufacturing is a high-tech process, but the panel fabrication process is not very scientifically complicated. So any small factory can put together a process to fabricate panels. Quality control is important since you need to be able to guarantee that panel will be operative for the next about 20-25 years.
Once the panels are fabricated, there is a business opportunity in installing the panels whether on roof-top or in solar farms. Solar panel installation is a very specialized skill and good installers can make a lot of money in the business.
More and more areas have energy buy-back programs (called net metering), allowing owners of solar systems to sell excess electricity back to the power company. The power companies like it, because they buy electricity from you when they need it the most, during the day, when companies and air conditioning units are running at their peak. It is a true win-win situation.
Engineers with specialized training in energy auditing and solar power estimation and costing will have many opportunities.
Q. What kinds of skills are required to take advantage of these opportunities?
A: Some of these opportunities will require basic electrical engineering knowledge. If you want to be an energy auditor or an energy consultant, then you will need to be able to understand power generation concepts and have basic knowledge of electricity concepts. If you want to work in module fabrication, you need to understand basic design, fabrication and manufacturing processes. Once a module is fabricated, it will need to undergo various tests for quality control. This is another specialized area that will require some training. Finally solar power system design, panel installation, integration and maintenance requires a different set of skills. All of the skills can be acquired by proper training and field practice through recognized and knowledgeable training institutions.
Q: What kind of training is available for people interested in this area?
A: Various short-term and long-term courses on design, installation practice, project engineering & management techniques, business/trading in renewable solar energy sector, solar energy products design and developments and comprehensive EDP (Entrepreneurial Development Programs) are available from many providers, including,
FIST (Florance Inbstitute of Solar Technology(India)), Chennai, the pioneers in solar power technology and professional “Online” training in Tamilnadu to prepare candidates for the exciting opportunities awaiting in the solar power industry for job seekers and entrepreneurs.
The training programs have a hands-on component as well, where you can get practical touch on solar power concepts, designing and installing a complete solar power system.
Q: Is there any government help to install solar power?
A: The answer is “yes” now and definitely. The Indian government and many state governments, including Tamil Nadu state government are very keen on promoting solar power both to alleviate acute power shortages and to lay the groundwork for the 21st century, vision 2024 green economy. In practical terms, the Central Government will provide a 30% capital subsidy on the first installed power for household use. There are other benefits too for industrial and commercial installations. Some states announced additional direct financial supports and direct and indirect moral supports too.
Curtsey By: Vijay Venugopal, Retired Professional Engineer (USA)
NSDC Certified Master Trainer in solar Power Technology,
Director, FIST Online Training.
