HOW DOES SOLAR ENERGY WORK?

[Sunlife] Solar energy is one of the most important renewable energy sources that we have today. And despite this, not everyone knows how solar energy works. We tell you everything you need to know

How many times have you wondered about what solar energy is and how it works? In previous articles, we have already told you about solar panels, thermal solar energy, and photovoltaic solar energy. On this occasion, we will detail how solar energy works.

 

HOW DOES SOLAR ENERGY WORK?

[Solar Panel in Pakistan]There are two main ways to use solar energy, one as a source of heat for solar thermal systems, the other as a source of electricity for solar photovoltaic systems.

We will focus on this last application. In principle, the way in which sunlight is captured to convert it into electricity is done through solar or photovoltaic panels. These panels are formed by groups of solar cells that are responsible for transforming light energy (photons) into electrical energy (electrons).

 These cells are connected to each other as a series circuit in order to increase the output voltage of electricity, that is if it will be 12 volts or 24. At the same time, several parallel circuit networks are connected to increase the electricity production capacity that will be able to provide the panel.

As the type of electric current provided by solar panels is direct current, many times an inverter and/or power converter is used to transform direct current into alternating current, which is what we usually use in our homes, jobs, and businesses.

SOLAR CELLS

When we speak in renewable of new discoveries or advances in science, we generally refer to the discovery or development of new and better materials to make a solar cell.

A solar cell works basically in the following way: photons, which come from solar radiation, impact on the surface of the cell and are absorbed thereby semiconductor materials, such as silicon. The photons hit the electrons, freeing them from the atoms to which they belonged. Thus, the electrons begin to circulate through the material and thus produce electricity.

This basic operation is repeated whatever the material used in the solar cell, as long as of course it has conductive properties and absorbs light.

The solar cells that make up the solar panels currently available on the market are made from silicon,[Photo voltaic module in Pakistan] a semiconductor material that is very abundant on the planet, but also difficult to extract and synthesize, which is why the resulting solar panels are usually expensive, heavy and difficult. to install.

For this reason, scientists around the world are constantly working on the search for new materials that result in cheaper, more efficient, lighter, thinner solar panels capable of having a greater number of applications, such as being able to be packaged in a spray.

Thus we can see that we are working on the manufacture of solar cells with materials such as copper, indium, gallium and selenium, and even germanium. The latter gives the best results in terms of efficiency, but they are very expensive to manufacture, which means that their use is restricted to entities such as NASA.[Solar Factories in Pakistan]

They are also conducted cells called a double or triple bond, using various added elements, thin-film technology with the use of sensitized dye or dye-sensitized solar cell, hybrid materials and nanotechnology.

ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGY

Solar energy has a series of very obvious advantages over other types of energy, such as that which comes from fossil fuels.

Solar energy is a renewable energy that takes advantage of the energy provided by the sun. The sun is an inexhaustible source of energy; therefore, its energy production is cyclical and never ends.

Solar energy is also, clean energy. [Best Solar panel country in Pakistan]In fact, it is considered one of the cleanest energies. To produce solar energy, it is not necessary to use natural resources and neither do any chemical or combustion processes. It emits practically no polluting gases into the atmosphere, it does not contribute to climate change or the greenhouse effect and it does not have the problem of storing polluting waste. In addition, it does not produce noise pollution, does not cause bad odors or fumes, etc.

Solar panels require a significant outlay, but they have a very long useful life and hardly require maintenance costs. A solar panel has a lifespan of around 30-35 years.

There are different types of solar panels that can be installed for different purposes and at different scales. For example, photovoltaic solar energy is harnessed to create electrical energy, thermal solar energy produces heat, while thermoelectric generates heat and electricity on a larger scale.

There is also no doubt that solar energy is a step forward for self-sufficiency, something to which all human beings should aspire.[Solar panel in Pakistan] For example, the use of solar panels could be very useful in remote and disadvantaged places where the usual electrical installation does not reach.