Solar Energy

- Hanushree Murali , X-A

What Is Solar
Energy?

Solar energyis radiant

light and heat from the
sunharnessed using a
range of ever-evolving
technologies such
assolar heating,solar
photovoltaics,solarther
malenergy,solar
architecture and artificial
photosynthesis.

It is an important source
ofrenewable energyand its
technologies are broadly
characterized as eitherpassive
solaroractive solardepending on
the way they capture and distribute
solar energy or convert it intosolar
power. Active solar techniques
include the use ofphotovoltaic
systems,concentrated solar power
andsolar water heatingto harness
the energy. Passive solar techniques
include orienting a building to the
Sun, selecting materials with

The Earth receives 174petawatts(PW) of incoming

solar radiation (insolation) at the upperatmosphere.
Approximately 30% is reflected back to space while
the rest is absorbed by clouds, oceans and land
masses. Thespectrumof solar light at the Earth's
surface is mostly spread across
thevisibleandnearinfrared ranges with a small part
in thenear ultraviolet.

Early
Commercial
Adaptation
In 1897,Frank Shuman, a U.S. inventor, engineer and
solar energy pioneer built a small demonstration solar
engine that worked by reflecting solar energy onto
square boxes filled with ether, which has a lower boiling
point than water, and were fitted internally with black
pipes which in turn powered a steam engine. In 1908
Shuman formed the Sun Power Company with the intent
of building larger solar power plants. He, along with his
technical advisor A.S.E. Ackermann and British physicist
SirCharles Vernon Boys,developed an improved system
using mirrors to reflect solar energy upon collector
boxes, increasing heating capacity to the extent that
water could now be used instead of ether. Shuman then

Applications Of Solar Energy

Cooking :

Solar cookers use sunlight for cooking,

drying andpasteurization. They can be
grouped into three broad categories: box
cookers, panel cookers and reflector
cookers. The simplest solar cooker is the
box cooker first built byHorace de
Saussure in 1767.A basic box cooker
consists of an insulated container with a
transparent lid. It can be used effectively
with partially overcast skies and will
typically reach temperatures of 90
150C (194302F).Panel cookers use a
reflective panel to direct sunlight onto an
insulated container and reach
temperatures comparable to box cookers.
Reflector cookers use various
concentrating geometries (dish, trough,
Fresnel mirrors) to focus light on a
cooking container. These cookers reach
temperatures of 315C (599F) and
above but require direct light to function

Electricity Production:
Solar power is the conversion of sunlight
intoelectricity, either directly
usingphotovoltaics (PV), or indirectly
usingconcentrated solar power(CSP). CSP
systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking
systems to focus a large area of sunlight into
a small beam. PV converts light into electric
current using the photoelectric effect.
The 250 MWAgua Caliente Solar Project, in
the United States, and the 221 MWCharanka
Solar Park inIndia, are theworlds
largestphotovoltaic plants.
Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) systems
use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems
to focus a large area of sunlight into a small
beam. The concentrated heat is then used as
a heat source for a conventional power plant.
A wide range of concentrating technologies
exists; the most developed are the parabolic
trough, the concentrating linear fresnel
reflector, the Stirling dish and the solar
power tower. Various techniques are used to

Advantages Of Solar Energy

Solar energy is a resource that is not only sustainable
for energy consumption, it is indefinitely renewable (at
least until the sun runs out in billions of years).
Solar power can be used to generate electricity, it is
also used in relatively simple technology to heat water
(solar water heaters).
The use of skylights in home construction can also
greatly reduce energy expenditure required to light
rooms in a homes interior during the day.

Solar panels also require little maintenance.

After installation and optimization they are
very reliable due to the fact that they
actively create electricity in just a few
millimeters and do not require any type of
mechanical parts that can fail.
Solar panels are also a silent producer of
energy, a necessity if dealing with picky
neighbors. The federal government has also
introduced generous tax credits for
individuals and companies that invest in
solar and other clean energy systems.

Disadvantages Of Solar Energy

The primary disadvantage of solar power is that
it obviously cannot be created during the night.
The power generated is also reduced during times
of cloud cover (although energy is still produced
on a cloudy day).
Solar panel energy output is maximized when the
panel is directly facing the sun. This means that
panels in a fixed location, such as the building
above, will see a reduced energy production when
the sun is not at an optimal angle. Many large
scale solar "farms" combat this problem by having
the panels on towers (above left) that can track
the sun to keep the panel at optimal angles
throughout the day.

Even todays most efficient solar cells only

convert just over 20% of the suns rays to
electricity. With increased advances in solar cell
technology this number is likely to increase.
Besides their low conversion efficiency, solar
panels can be a substantial initial investment.
However, the cost of solar panels incurred is only
the initial cost, after buying and installation they
create free energy for use.

Some Devices Working On Solar Energy

Solar
Solar Plane
Charger

Solar
Calculat
or

THE END