Photovoltaic+Cells

Solar Cells

Solid state device that converts the energy of sunlight directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect Advantages

__ Instillation __

Solar Cells are easily obtainable at store such as Sunwize, Evergreen, and Mitsubishii Electric. Solar cells can be easily installed onto rooftops, building tops or standing-alone facilities. Simply installing solar cells and a panel in a spot that get direct sun exposure will maximize its efficiency. Tracking the position of the sun during the course of the year is important for instillation. Solar panels have no moving parts which mean that they do not break down. Therefore, after instillation there are no reoccurring costs and it will last for decades. Also, solar cells can be installed in remote locations. This is more practical than the supply of electricity to a new location. Another advantage involving instillation is that solar energy produces no noise and is virtually silent.

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Disadvantages

__ High cost __

Although the energy of the sun is free the technology of solar cells is costly. The cost of solar cells is given per unit of electrical power. An additional cost is included for manufacturing. Solar-specific tariffs are used in order to encourage the development of solar projects. High efficiency solar cells are used to decrease the cost of solar energy. Costs are proportional to the area of a plant. A higher the efficiency cell may reduce area and plant cost. Bare cells are useful in evaluating solar power plant economics but must be evaluated under realistic conditions. Parameters to be evaluated include short circuit current and open circuit voltage. There is a low cost alternative to Solar Cells. Thin-film cells such as photovoltaic cells are intended to produce electrical energy at a price competitive with traditional fossil fuels.

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Solar Cells Advantage: One advantage of solar cells is that they last a long time. They can last from about 20 to 40 years. This is very important because solar cells are used in objects like artificial satellites and in space probes like Mars orbiters, wireless transmission systems, and traffic signals. When these cells are used in high technology like that, the cells need to last a long time because it would be difficult to replace often. Solar cells are run in a simple fashion. They are photodiodes that have a big light- sensitive area. This absorbs the sunlight and directly converts it into electrical energy. Because it is simple, it is also low maintenance. Thanks to this it lasts a very long time.

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Solar Cells Disadvantage: Solar cells power plants use up a lot of land. The power plants could disrupt desert areas, where the cells are most needed because it is easier to get energy from them then running tons and tons of wires to get the energy. If the solar cells are not on the roofs of buildings, the large panels take up tons of land. To generate enough electricity to supply a whole area, a lot of panels are neeeded. Wiring several solar panels together will get 120 volts of electricity, which is enough to run most household appliances. So, to get enough electricity for a whole area, masses of these panels are needed- which will take up a substantial amount of land.

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Solar energy is the most abundant and most efficient of all the potential power sources. It can be applied to many applications and, given its quantity, has the potential to substitute all other forms of energy production. Solar energy can be derived from photovoltaic panels or solar thermal collectors, which can be placed anywhere there is sunlight. Technologies are constantly being developed to make harvesting energy from the sun more practical.

[] Solar energy is clean, renewable, and sustainable helping to protect our environment. It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, Sulphur Dioxide. Or mercury