Solar Power Technology

6:08 PM

What is Solar Power Technology?

Image from www.alternative-energy-news.info 

Solar Power is produced by collecting sunlight and converting it into electricity. This is done by using solar panels, which are large flat panels made up of many individual solar cells. It is most often used in remote locations, although it is becoming more popular in urban areas as well.

How does Solar Power work? What are the technologies involved?

The sun's light (and all light) contains energy. Usually, when light hits an object, the energy turns into heat, like the warmth you feel while sitting in the sun. But when light hits certain materials, the energy turns into an electrical current instead, which we can harness for power.

Old-school solar technology uses large crystals made out of silicon, which produces an electrical current when struck by light. Silicon can do this because the electrons in the crystal get up and move when exposed to light instead of just jiggling in place to make heat. The silicon turns a good portion of light energy into electricity, but it is expensive because big crystals are hard to grow.

Newer materials use smaller, cheaper crystals, such as copper-indium-gallium-selenide, that can be shaped into flexible films. This "thin-film" solar technology, however, is not as good as silicon at turning light into electricity.

An example of a Solar Power Technology:

 

This solar electric panel collect solar energy. It is made up of silicon, the same thing that makes up sand. There is more silicon on the planet than almost anything else. Even though you can find silicon almost everywhere, making a solar panel is difficult and expensive. The silicon has to be heated to super high temperatures in a big factory, and then formed into very thin wafers.

When sunlight hits a solar panel, it makes electrons in the silicon move around. (Electrons are tiny specks - they are way too small for us to see, even under a microscope) The electrons flow through wires that were built into the solar panel.

Reference:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-solar-power-work/
http://www.solarenergy.org/answers-younger-kids