Bright Hopes For The Future Of Solar Energy

Research is shedding new light on an unexpected source of energy for heating homes and generating electricity-the sun.

The sun-directly or indirectly-is the primary source for most forms of energy found on Earth. Solar energy is clean, abundant and renewable.

Though we think of solar power as a new discovery, ancient civilizations found innovative ways to use solar energy. Among them, the Greeks, Romans and Chinese all developed ways to use solar warmth for their homes, including using southern exposures to maximize solar heating and making use of solar lighting.

Now, thanks to innovative technologies, it's possible to capture this energy, concentrate it, store it and convert it into electricity.

Sunlight is converted into electricity using solar cells. Solar cells are also called photovoltaic cells, or "PV cells" for short. PV cells were first developed in the 1950s for use in American space satellites. Today, they are used for power needs ranging from telecommunications to rural electrification. PV cells can be found on items we use daily, such as calculators, flashlights, radios, landscape lighting and children's toys.

Portable PV units are also available for emergency and disaster use, such as keeping cell phones and small appliances charged when the user is away from the grid or during blackouts.

Consumers can harness the power of the sun for themselves more easily than ever. Solar panels you see on buildings and homes have been available on the market for decades. New systems-which incorporate solar into roofing shingles-are now aesthetically pleasing, efficient and durable.

2006 ushers in new tax credits for solar energy technologies and consumers may also be eligible for state rebates.

For more information, consult with a tax professional, contact the Internal Revenue Service at www.irs.gov, or check out www.doe.gov for the latest in tax credit information.

Sunlight isn't only used to generate electricity. It is also used to heat water, which can be used to warm homes and businesses. Solar-powered radiant heating systems run some industrial processes and drive turbines to generate electricity. Many solar thermal technologies have been used in homes for decades and can last more than 20 years.

Experts believe that solar energy technologies can benefit this nation in many ways. They have the potential to help diversify this country's energy supply, reduce the dependence on imported fuels, improve air quality, offset greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate the economy by helping to create jobs in the manufacturing and installation of solar energy systems.

History Concept and Formation of Solar Panels

A solar panel is basically a device that enables the collection of and conversion of solar energy into electrical energy or even heat. 

• The Concept of Solar Panels

Solar panels are also known as photovoltaic panels and the atoms that are present in these panels are excited by the action of the sun's energy. These atoms are present in a silicon layer that lies between two panels known as protector panels.

A formation of electric current takes place as a result of the action of the electrons from the aforementioned, excited atoms, and these are then used by a myriad of external devices. The history of solar panels dates back by hundreds of years, when their sole purpose was to heat the water for use in homes. Many-a-times specially shaped mirror is used for the concentration of light onto a tube of oil. Due to this action, there is a heating up of oil and as these heated oil travels through a vat of water, it instantly results in the boiling of this water. The steam that is a resultant of this process of boiling is used to turn a turbine for the generation of electricity.

• The History of Solar Panels

It was in the year 1839 that the photovoltaic effect was discovered by Antoine – Cesar – Becquerel, a French physicist. His experiment in this regard involved the placement of an electrolyte cell in an electrolyte solution; two metal electrodes made up the electrolyte cell.

When this device was exposed to sunlight, Becquerel found that the generation of electricity saw a marked increase. It was in 1883 that Charles Fritts coated sheets of selenium with a thin layer of gold and built the first genuine solar cell. Over a period of time many experiment were conducted and discoveries were made when it came to solar cells. Albert Einstein also published his thesis on the photoelectric effect, during this time and also won the Nobel Prize for his research.

It was space satellites that made large scale use of solar electrical energy for the first time. By 1980, the United States of America, produced a solar cell which provided an efficiency of nearly twenty percent, this efficiency was increased to around twenty four percent in the next two decades and currently there are a few companies that are manufacturing solar cells that offer efficiency levels of nearly twenty eight percent

• The Working of Solar Panels

Pure silicon forms the basic element of all solar panels as its makes for an ideal platform that aids transmission of electrons. This material is used on the plates that form a solar panel. Solar panels are also created by combining silicon panels with other elements, with negative or positive charges.

The Silicon atoms are exposed to the bombardment of photons when negative plates of solar cells are faced towards the sunlight. Once all free electrons are drawn away from the plates, enough electricity is generated to power various electronic appliances that do not require too much electricity to power them.

• Features and Types of Solar Panels

Basically there are three types of solar panels, namely mono-crystalline solar panels, polycrystalline solar panels, and amorphous solar panels. The life expectancy of solar panels depends on the type of solar panels selected by you; generally it’s around twenty years or so.

        Solar panels do not require sustained maintenance for their upkeep although; if lead acid batteries are used then they must be checked every six months and topped up with distilled water if required. If you are looking for a solar panel for your needs and do not know what size to go for, then the best way would be to calculate your average consumption of electricity on a daily basis. This would give you a fair idea of what kind of solar panel to go for. In the long run, solar panels will reduce your electricity bill by a long way, and hence the option of using solar energy must be explored in a positive manner.   atj