Solar Energy Technology Basics
This technology which started with the use of a magnifying glass to concentrate sun rays to make fire and burn ants has gradually evolved to a more developed system of energy for homes and industrial purposes through the use of solar panels otherwise known as photovoltaic cells and other devises.
The search for alternative energy sources relating to solar power dates back to the 1830’s. Leonardo da Vinci even had sketches and ideas of how to harness the suns energy. And in 1839, a young man named Alexandre-Edmond Bequerel became the first to discover the photovoltaic effect. But nearly forty years later, William Grylls Adams in 1876 developed a more sophisticated solar cell.
He discovered that a solid material called selenium produced electrical currents when exposed to the light of the sun. This was a huge step towards the advanced solar panels we use today. But it wasn’t until 1953 when solar energy was able to be put to practical use.
Gerald Pearson of Bell Laboratories developed a solar cell using silicon instead of selenium. Unfortunately, like most new technologies, Pearson’s solar cells were way out of most anyone’s purchasing power.
However, the U.S. military bought into Pearson’s invention and that’s when solar energy really took off.
As time went on…in the early 1970s the development of solar panels became less expensive and was adopted for other applications besides military use, particularly interesting is its use in space and aeronautics as well as telecommunications, remote sensing, marine navigation and research
What is Solar Energy?
The science behind harnessing the 174 petawatts of solar radiation that reaches the earth’s upper atmosphere for practical use such as energy is called solar technology.
Solar energy is one of the most abundant sources of energy on earth. It is also considered one of the cleanest sources of energy available. This form of energy does not need to be extracted, transported to and fro, nor is any costly exploration required to find it. In addition, solar energy is completely sustainable because as long as we have the sun, we’ll have electricity.
There are various types of solar energy, and various ways to harness it; it can be converted into passive and active solar energy or solar thermal energy, photovoltaic solar power and concentrating solar power. .
However, photovoltaic (or PV) modules are quickly becoming more popular due to their increased efficiency and ease of use. For now, they are the best way to tap light and convert it into energy. Also, widely known as ‘’solar panels”, PV modules come in a huge variety of types and sizes, and are used as the power solution for many different applications including residential and commercial grid-tie solar power systems as well as off-grid and industrial systems.
Photovoltaics
Photovoltaic (PV) materials and devices convert sunlight into electrical energy. PV cells are also commonly known as solar cells. Photovoltaics can literally be translated as light-electricity.
First used in about 1890, “photovoltaic” has two parts: photo, derived from the Greek word for light, and volt, relating to electricity pioneer Alessandro Volta. This is basically what photovoltaic materials and devices do: they convert light energy into electrical energy. This discovery was made by French physicist, Edmond Becquerel, in 1839.
PV systems are already an important part of our daily lives. Simple PV systems provide power for small consumer items such as calculators and wristwatches. More complicated systems provide power for communications satellites, water pumps, and the lights, appliances, and machines in some homes and workplaces. Many road and traffic signs also are now powered by PV. In many cases, PV power is the least expensive form of electricity for these tasks.
source: vanguard
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