INTRODUCTION:
According to the UNEP (United Nation Environment Programmed), Renewable
energy sector is playing a vital role in providing clean energy sector, which
show that the sector brought an estimated of 16% of global energy source Last
year. Also it closes to produce 20% of the world’s electricity generation
according to the report inaugurated by the renewable energy policy Network for
the first 21st century (REN21). ’’ The global performance of
renewable energy despite headwinds has been a positive constant in turbulent
times’’ Said Mohammad El-Ashry Chairman of REN21’s steering committee. China
was the overall world’s largest investing country in renewable energy, at a record
of $126.6 billion that is up to 31% on 2016. I hope African country will follow
the same for overcoming lack of sufficient energy across the region.
Solar energy:
Defined as the radiant light and heat that
originated from the Sun. It is a renewable energy that reduces climate change
effect. Sunlight intensity differed from location to location on earth. This
means careful survey and observations must put in place to have successful
solar insulation , Check which purpose you want do with solar energy is
electricity, thermal heating or power load.
Now, you will read about solar panel categories, their features and picturing
view of some solar panel as we progress in this post.
What is Solar
Panel?
Defined as the device that is used to accept
the sun’s rays in direct current form (DC) and it can be converted to
Alternating Current (AC) by the use of INVERTER and other devices, such as
charge controller and battery bank, which I will discuss on them in subsequent
post.
Solar panel divided into:
Active Type.
Passive Type.
Active
Type: Is the solar panel mounted on space to collect sun light
rays with the assistance of photo cells, it is energy Acceptor. Following is
its pictorial view:
Passive
Type: This is designing a
building with materials that have ability to harness thermal mass or light
dispersing properties and designing spaces that allow natural fresh air to
circulate. It is energy donor.
Solar panel consists of photo cell with
either single junction or multi-junction. Their layers makes them differed.
Single junction has one layer, while multi-layer have many layers.
Solar panel generations, their specification
and efficiency, will be discuss soon.
First Generation:
Traditional
Type.
Mono-crystalline
solar panel Features:
-Is the most pure type.
-It has uniform dark look.
-It has circular edge.
-It has higher efficiency, due to the purest
of Silicon compound.
-It reach
20% performance.
-It has
higher power output.
-It has
long life span.
-It has
ability to withstand with effect of temperature.
-It has more
expensive.
Poly-crystalline
Solar panel Features:
-It has blue spackled view.
-Its angle not cute.
-It produced from melting raw
silicon.
-It is faster and simple to
produce.
-It has lower performance 15%.
-It has low price.
-It has transient life span
due to the effect of temperature.
Second Generation:
Thin-film solar cell (TFSC) features:
-It used for
photovoltaic power station.
-It used for small
power station.
- It has expensive.
-It produces by
placing single or more films of photovoltaic materials such as copper and
cadmium.
-It is easy to
manufacture.
-It
is flexible.
-It
is not affected by high temperature.
-It
occupies large area of space.
-It
has shorter life span.
Amorphous Silicon Solar Cell (A-Si):
-It
can found in pocket calculator.
-It
used triple layer technology.
-It
has 7% efficiency rate.
-It
has low cost.
THIRD GENERATION:
Cadmium
Telluride Solar Cell (CDTE) Features:
-It
has low price.
-It
require least amount of water in production.
-It
give carbon foot print as low as possible. But it may be toxic, if inhaled.
Concentrated PV Cell (CVP and HCPV):
-It
was categorized under multi-junction type.
-It
has 41% efficiency.
-It
consists of curved mirror surfaces.
-It
consists of lens and cooling systems.
-It
contained tracker that track the high efficiency Angle of sun rays.
Solar energy consist
of different stages before it reach to consumer unit.
Firstly, Solar panel
which accepts sun rays using photo cell in DC form. At this level, it can be
use to power DC Appliances only. But if you want power AC appliances, there is
additional devices such as Battery bank, which serve as storage component at
the night time. Also Charge Controller must be install for the purpose of
controlling the battery charge, if the battery charge full, the charge
controller will cut-off the supply to the battery this make battery to work
longer.
Also,
there is inverter which inverts DC V TO AC V for
the appliances that use AC Current. It must load with full capacity, this is
contrary to the Generator because loading it full or overload can spoil it. But
Inverter need to be loads all. This means, you must make sure you installed
inverter that can take all the require load in your place.
Consulted Sources:
Askari Mohamad
Bagher.
Mirzei Mohmoud Abadi
Yahid.
Mirhabibi Mohsen.
My little knowledge
I thought at school by:
Engr. Dobi Illo @
WUFP B/K.
