Solar Energy

ByArun. K

Solar power:

What is solar energy?

Radiant Energy

Solar Energy – A Bright Idea!

“I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait ‘til oil and coal run out before we tackle that.” - EDISON

People have been harnessing solar energy for a long time!

Solar collector for

heating water

A home in California in 1906

Major Uses of Solar Energy Day lighting Drying Water Heating and cooking Photovoltaic In space

Day lightin

g

Drying

Solar Cooking

Benefits of solar cooking

Consumes no fuel/wood

No air pollution

No greenhouse gases

NO SMOKE

Eliminates fire danger

More benefits of solar cooking

No daily search for firewood

Free time for other activities

Cooks food well

Easy to clean

Preserves nutrients

Solar heating

Solar water heating is the most efficient and economical use of solar energy.

How does it work?

Benefits of solar heating:

No wastage of fuel

Pollution free

Heat large amount of water

Solar Electric

(Photovoltaic)

Solar electric systems

Photovoltaic converts Light energy into electrical energy.

PV represents one of the most promising means of maintaining our energy intensive standard of living while not contributing to global warming and pollution.

Smaller – CalculatorsLarger – Power plants

How does it made?

• Two pieces of silicon

• N-layer gives electron

• P-layer is positively charged.

Silicon must be purified

How does it work?

Sunlight is composed of photons. When they strike a PV cell, they may be reflected or absorbed. Only the absorbed photons generate electricity. When the photons are absorbed, the energy of the photons is transferred to electrons in the atoms of the solar cell.

PV System Components

Total PV Installation Worldwide

Benefits of PV :

PV in remote areas

In our day-to-day life

Advantages of Solar Energy

• Clean• Renewable• Free• Provide electricity to

remote places

Disadvantages of Solar Energy

Costly equipment Part Time Reliability Depends On Location Current generated is DC Pollutable

In Space

• Solar array used by the space shuttle to provide for power needs in outer space

QUERIES