Solar energy knowledge series: Solar Energy Basics
What Is Renewable Energy?
Renewable energy is a source of energy collected from natural sources that are replenished naturally on a timescale. In short, any carbon-neutral source of energy is renewable energy, including sources like sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. Found more on Wikipedia.
Types And Sources Of Renewable Energy:
The five major sources of renewable energy are:
Solar energy: In solar energy, the source of energy is Sun. We are consuming this energy every day directly or indirectly. Now, technology has provided us many ways to use this abundant natural resource in our life.
Geothermal energy: The heat energy stored under the earth is Geothermal energy.
Hydro-power: Hydro-power generates electricity from the water source. This is the major source of non-fossil electricity today.
Wind energy: Here the source of energy is wind. We have been using this form of energy from ancient times for sailing.
Biomass energy: Its carbon neutral status is still in debate but biomass energy is also part of renewable energy.
Types Of Solar Energy Systems
Solar energy systems are used to harness radiant light and heat from the sun.
There are three ways to do this:
Solar Heating: The use of sunlight to heat water or air in buildings.
Solar Thermal: Use of solar energy to drive thermal turbines.
Solar Photovoltaics: Solar Photovoltaics convert sunlight into electricity.
What Is Solar Photovoltaics (Solar PV)?
Solar Photovoltaics(PV) is a method of converting sunlight into electricity using a semiconductor material.
We can separate the term Photovoltaics into two parts, Photons and Voltaics. Photons are a bundle of electromagnetic energy, an elementary particle and basic unit of nature.
On the other hand, Voltaics is used as a reference for electricity, named after Allesandro Volta, a great Italian Physicist, and pioneer on electricity and power.
What Are The Applications Of Solar Energy?
Solar energy can be used as a substitute for fossil power. Major usage are,
Provision of Electrical Power to a property
Rural electrification on Off-Grid systems
Power Stations/Solar farms
Spacecraft Power
What Are The Advantages Of Solar PV Systems?
A form of renewable energy, so never exhaust.
It can be used to power your appliances, rural electrification, or in spacecraft. So, multiple usages.
It requires very low maintenance costs. Average solar panels come with a 20 to 25 years warranty.
Easy and fast install.
It reduces electrical power bills or you can think of it as free energy.
Electrical independence, you have absolute control over your electrical spending.
Saves 0.514kg of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. (worldwide average)
What Are The Disadvantages Of Solar PV Systems?
Weather dependent, in dull or cloudy weather it doesn’t work optimally.
High initial cost. The cost of installation is very high around $5000 per 3 kWh.
Require sufficient space to install around 15 sqm per 3 kWh.
low efficiency of Monocrystalline cells. The efficiency of Monocrystalline cells ranges between 15% to 20%.
