Solar Energy

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Solar Energy
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Bruce Logue and Robert Chou The University of
Texas at Austin Department of Chemical
Engineering Fall 2006
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Overview

• How Solar Energy Works
• Types of Photovoltaic Systems
• Flat-plate and Concentrator
• Current Applications
• Solar Economics
• Price Trends
• Costs
• The Energy Payback Time
• Advances in Technology
• Thin-film
• PV roofing panels
• Nanomaterials

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How does solar energy work?
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• The Photoelectric effect
• The PV cell layered with positive and negative
  charged semiconductor material

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Photovoltaic Systems
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• System is constructed of Arrays
• There are two types of systems
• Flat Plate Systems
• System can be in a fixed position or moving
• Makes use of Direct and Diffuse sun light
• Concentrator Systems
• Moves relative to the sun
• Requires less PV cell material

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Current Applications
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Solar Energy Economics

• The cost of PV cells has been on decline since
  70s.
• Decline due to advancements in efficiency and
  manufacturing techniques
• Residential equipment costs can range from 10K to
  100K

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Energy Payback Time (EPBT)

• EPBT is length of time PV system takes to
  generate amount of energy put into system.
• Three factors determine the EPBT
• Amount of illumination received by PV cells
• Conversion efficiency of PV cell
• Manufacturing technology used to make PV cell

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Manufacturing Methods

• There are three methods to produce PV cells
• Process cells on wafers sawed from silicon ingots
• Ingots are either single or multicrystalline
• Process cells on silicon wafers cut from
  multicrystalline ribbons
• Deposition of non-crystalline silicon on
  inexpensive substrates

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Technological Advances

• Thin-Film Technology
• PV cells are continually processed on a sheet
  consisting of much less material than the typical
  PV cells.
• Copper Solar Cells
• Thin-Film PV cells are made with Cu to increase
  efficiencies greater than 12 compared to silicon

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Technological Advances

• Solar Roof Panels
• Shingles are combined with PV cells creating
  insulation that generates electricity
• Nanomaterials
• Solar cells incorporating nanomaterials are
  stronger, more flexible, and more efficient.

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References

• Fast Solar Energy Facts. 14 Nov. 2006
  lthttp//www.solarbuzz.com/     FastFactsIndustry.
  htmgt.
• Harlin, Kevin. "Building new power panels." The
  Times Union. LexisNexis     Academic.
  LexisNexis. 20 Nov. 2006 lthttp//web.lexis-nexis.c
  om/     universegt.
• Konarka, Textronic to Develop Solar Thin-fil PV
  Fabric. (2005, September 29). Renewable Energy
  Access. Retrieved November 19, 2006, from
  http//www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/prod
  uctstory?id37
• "Nanomaterials and Cost-effective Manufacturing
  Technologies Hold Key to     Development of
  Photovoltaic Technologies." PR Newswire US.
  LexisNexis     Academic. LexisNexis. 20 Nov.
  2006 lthttp//web.lexis-nexis.com/     universegt.
  
• PV Markets. 20 Nov. 2006 lthttp//www.ece.umr.edu/p
  ower/Energy_Course/energy/     Renewables/pv/Fren
  ch_site/pvmark.htmlgt.
• Recent Advancements in Solar Panel Technology by
  Shell Solar. 20 Nov. 2006     lthttp//www.solarex
  pert.com/PVadvancements.htmlgt.
• Residential Solar Power Costs Savings. 15 Nov.
  2006     lthttp//www.borregosolar.com/home/solar-
  power-costs-savings.phpgt.
• Solar Energy Technologies Program. (2006,April
  13). Retrieved November 10, 2006, from U.S.
  Department of Energy Web site http//www1.eere.e
  nergy.gov/solar/photovoltaics.html

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Images

• Images Courtesy of
• 1 www.google.com
• 2 www.faqs.com
• 3 - http//www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/
• 4 - http//www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/
• 5 - http//www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/
• 6 - http//www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/
• 7 - http//www.solarserver.de/solarmagazin/anlage-
  e.html
• 8 www.windturbine-1.com
• 9 www.treehugger.com
• 10 - http//www.jaxa.jp/missions/projects/sat/astr
  onomy/solar_b/index_e.html
• 11 www.palacefarm.com
• 12 - http//howto.altenergystore.com
• 13 - http//www.che.utexas.edu/course/che379384/T
  opic8_3.pp
• 14 - http//www.ece.umr.edu/power/ Energy_Course/e
  nergy/Renewables/pv/French_site/overview.html
• 15 - http//www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/
• 16 - http//www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news
  /productstory?id37
• 17- http//www.solarexpert.com/PVadvancements.htm
  
• 18- http//www.solar-components.com/pvshingl.htm