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Solar Applications

June 21, 2011 By: Admin Category: Solar Power

Solar Energy Applications

Solar energy technologies use energy from the sun to produce heat, light, hot water, electricity, and even cooling, for homes, commercial and industrial.

There are a variety of technological applications that have been developed to take advantage of solar energy. Technology can be read further below.

Photovoltaics System

Solar cells work by converting sunlight directly into electricity. The electrons in the semiconductor material, the material used to capture sunlight, will move when the sun’s energy in the form of photons hit it. Solar energy is forcing the electrons to move, occur continuously, and consequently there is also a continuous electricity production. Process, which turns sunlight (photons) into electricity (voltage), called the photovoltaic effect.

Solar Cell Module

Solar cells are usually organized into modules that each module can consist of 40 solar cells. Some modules can be arranged to form a PV line fitted with a fixed angle facing south. Or even could be placed in a sun-tracking device, to get more solar energy throughout the day. Several rows of PV could produce enough power for a house. As for industrial applications or power companies, hundreds of lines of PV can be linked to form one large PV systems and sufficient to meet the electricity needs.

Thin Film Solar Cellthin film solar Solar Applications

Thin film solar cells use several layers of semiconductor material with a thickness in the micrometer scale. Technology allows to create solar cells integrated into rooftops to the skylights. Even solar cells are designed for applications having the same power with actual roof.

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Solar Lounge

May 15, 2011 By: Admin Category: Solar Furniture

SOFT Rockers – A Solar Powered Lounge Chair

Soft Rocker by Sheila Kennedy and Co Solar Lounge
A professor at MIT, Sheila Kennedy and her team at Kennedy and Violich Architecture (KVA) recently launched SOFT Rockers at MIT 150th-anniversary Festival of Art+Science+Technology (FAST) celebration.

SOFT Rockers is a sleek, solar-powered energy recharging station, disguised as a public furniture (teardrop lounge).

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Sustainable Product

February 07, 2011 By: Admin Category: Solar Appliances, Solar Gadgets, Solar Prototype

Samsung Be Concept by Tommaso Gecchelin


Samsung Be Concept by Tommaso Gecchelin Sustainable Product

A product design is not just an isolated object, but also the complex network of relationships that constitute it for what it will be understood in context. This work wants to build a network of environmental sustainability and putting the individual at the center of this network.

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Solar Curtain

September 07, 2010 By: Admin Category: Solar Architecture, Solar Panel

Sol Pix by Simone Giostra


solar curtain Solar Curtain

N.Y. architect Simone Giostra creates Sol Pix/Green Pix Zero-Energy Media Wall as a collaboration between Simone Giostra & Partners Architects, Scheuten Solar USA, Zahner Metal Fabrication, Permasteelisa North America and Arup.

Sol Pix is an energy efficient curtain wall that uses multiple banks of LEDs and PVCs. Basically a protective system that shut out or lets in the light depends on the interior heating / cooling needs, Solar Pix also harness the energy from the sun all day, to power 2292 individual lights that create 24 000 Sq. Ft. interactive media display once night falls.

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Solar FM

June 28, 2010 By: Admin Category: Solar Gadgets

Solar Powered FM Radio


solar fm Solar FM

The Solar Powered FM Radio Kit allows you to teach children about environmentally friendly energy source of solar energy in a fun and interesting. The kit will make a fully functional FM radio that was designed to be bright and attractive to children.

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Solar Cell

November 24, 2009 By: Admin Category: Solar Cells

What Does Solar Cell Mean?

You may have seen a calculator that has a solar cell? calculator that does not need batteries, and in some cases do not even have the off button. As long as you have enough light, so the calculator can be on at any time and forever. You may have seen larger solar panels, such as in housing or traffic lights, haven’t you? In this article I will review how solar cell work so it can deliver the energy and drive an electronic device.

Today the demand for electricity has become a major requirement in all corners. The presence of power plants sometimes do not solve the need for electricity especially in remote areas where the terrain is always an excuse. Here an alternative energy that can be easily found in nature and can be used as an alternative free energy replacing conventional electricity, because it can turn on household electronics such as televisions, radios and lights.
solar cell p n Solar Cell
Solar cells made from pieces of a very small silicon coated with special chemicals to form the basis of solar cells. Solar cells generally have a minimum thickness of 0.3 mm is made from semiconductor materials incision with positive and negative poles. Each solar cell produces usually voltage 0.5 volts. Solar cells is an active element (semiconductor) that utilizes photovoltaic effect to transform solar energy into electrical energy.

solar cell diagram Solar Cell

Solar cells contain a connection (junction) between two thin layers made of semiconductor materials, each of which is known as a semiconductor type “P” (positive) and semiconductor type “N” (negative).

N-type semiconductor made of silicon crystals and there are also some other materials (typically phosphorus) within the limits that these materials can provide an excess of free electrons.

Electrons are sub atomic particles are negatively charged, so that the silicon alloy in this case known as N-type semiconductor (Negative). P-type semiconductor made of silicon crystal in which there is a small amount of other material (typically boron) which caused the shortage of material free electrons. Lack or loss of electrons is called a hole. Because there is no or lack of electrons electrically negative charged then the silicon alloys in this case as a semiconductor type-P (Positive).

Composition of a solar cell, the same as a diode, consisting of two layers, called PN junction. PN junction obtained by staining a pure semiconductor silicon (valence 4) with the impurity valence 3 on the left side, and one on the right impurity stained with valence 5.
 Solar Cell

solar1 labels Solar Cell

The effect of the electric field in a PV cell

 Solar Cell

solar2 labels Solar Cell

Operation of a PV cell

 Solar Cell

solar3 labels Solar Cell

Basic structure of a generic silicon PV cell

Thus formed on the left side that is not pure silicon again and called P type silicon, while the right side is called silicon type N. In the pure silicon there are two kinds of electrical charge carriers are balanced. Positive electric charge carriers called holes, while the negative are called electrons. After a desecration process, in the P type silicon formed holes (positive charge carriers) in a very large number compared with the electron. Therefore, in the P type silicon holes are majority charge carriers, while the electrons are minority carriers. Conversely, in the N type silicon is formed of electrons in a very large number so-called majority carriers, and holes called minority carriers.

In the silicon rod there was interaction between the P and the N. Therefore called the PN junction. When present, the P associated with the positive pole of a battery, while the negative polar associated with the N, then there is a relationship called “forward bias”.

Under forward bias, electrical currents arise in a series due to both types of charge carriers. So the electric current flowing in the PN junction is caused by the movement of electron and the movement of holes. An electric current is flowing in the direction of holes movement, but opposite direction with the movement of electrons. Just to further explain, electrons moving in the conductor material can lead to electrical energy. And electrical energy is called as an electric current that flows in the opposite direction to the movement of electrons.

But, if the P associated with negative pole of batteries and the N associated with positive pole, then now formed a relationship called “reverse bias”. In these circumstances, the hole (positive charge carriers) can be connected directly to the positive pole, while the electrons are also directly to the positive pole. So, clearly in the PN junction there is no movement of majority charge carriers either the holes or electrons. Meanwhile, the minority charge carriers (electrons) in the part P moves trying to reach the positive pole of the batteries. Similarly, the minority charge carriers (holes) in the N also moved to reach the negative pole. Therefore, in a state of reverse bias, in the PN junction there is also output current even in very small amounts (micro amperes). This current is often called the reverse saturation current or leakage current.

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Anything interesting in reverse bias. When the temperature of PN junction raised they will be able to enlarge leakage current. Means that if given the energy (heat), the minority charge carriers in the PN junction grows. Because the light is one form of energy, so if there is light that hit a PN junction may also produce enough energy to generate charge carriers. This symptoms are called photoconductive. Based on the photoconductive symptoms made of photodiode electronic components from PN junction.

In reverse bias, with increasing intensity of light that hit photodiode can increase the level of leakage current. Leakage currents can also be enlarged by increasing the battery voltage (reverse voltage), but the addition of leakage currents were not significant. When the batteries in the reverse bias circuit is removed and replaced with a load of resistance, the provision of light that can cause charge carriers both holes and electrons. If the illumination light is increased, current output was greater. Such symptoms are called photovoltaic. Light can provide enough energy to enlarge the number of holes in the P and the number of electrons on the N. Based on the symptoms of this photovoltaic electronic components can be created photovoltaic cell. Because usually the sun as a source of light, the photovoltaic cell is also called the solar cell (solar cells) or a solar energy converter.
So the solar cell is essentially a large photo diode and designed by referring to the photovoltaic symptoms so that could produce the greatest possible power. P type silicon is the very thin surface layer so that light can penetrate directly reach the junction. Part P is given ring-shaped nickel layer, as a positive output terminal. Under the P is the N type that is coated with nickel as well as the negative output terminal.

To obtain a large enough power required much of solar cells. Usually, solar cells arranged form the shape of the panel, and is called the photovoltaic panels (PV). PV as a source of electric power was first used in satellites. Then PV as an energy source for cars, so there are solar electric car. Now, in foreign countries, PV has started to be used as a roof or wall of the house. Sanyo has made even a semi-transparent PV that can be used as a substitute for glass.

After getting the output of the solar cell is a direct electrical current can be used to load utilized. But also the electric current can be used as a charge stored by the battery to be used when needed, especially at night because there was no sun.

If the solar cell is used for storage into the battery, then the resulting voltage magnitude must be above the battery specification. For example the battery used is 12 volts, the voltage produced by solar cell must be above 12 volts in order to perform charging.

We recommend that before carrying out the charging battery should be empty because the incoming flow will be filled with the maximum. The unit capacity of a battery is the Ampere-hour (Ah) and these characteristics are usually found on the label of a battery. For example a battery with 10 Ah capacity will fill up for 10 hours with the solar cell output currents of 1 Ampere.

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Solar Heat

July 05, 2009 By: Admin Category: Solar Heater

Active and Passive Solar Heat


solar heat Solar Heat

Utilization of solar energy in architecture can be done in two ways: passive and active. Utilization of passive do when solar power does not need to converted first into electricity. Deep utilization of the passive is also included on space heating (using the greenhouse gases) for the region with temperature of the air low, and water heating. Also, techniques to prevent heating the air in the room on the building in the area, including Tropical into the use of the passive type, where component of sunlight, which consists of: light and heat, only used on components’ light ‘it – the need for natural lighting in buildings.

Passive design strategies will be very different between the buildings that are on climate Tropical and climate Sub Tropical / cold. At the Tropical climate, direct radiation from the sun tend to be avoided by building in order to heat gain in the building to be low, so the increase of air temperature in the building can be prevented. While in Sub-Tropical climate, the design strategy is a passive step of the Tropical climate strategy in the acquisition of heat sun tend to be maximized (except in the summer), solar radiation through that fall directly on the building so that temperature increase occurs in the building, considering the air temperature around is low.

In utilizing the solar actively using the photovoltaic, should also simultaneously architect implement the strategy of passive design. Without the application of passive design strategies, energy use in buildings very likely remain high when visual and thermal comfort must be achieved. In situations such as this, the electric power comes from solar power conversion by solar cells does not become too much meaning. With dimensional solar cell panel which needs large electricity for the achievement of thermal comfort and visual on the building difficult to fulfill. Still electrical energy required for engine cooling air with a large capacity, because the air temperature in a high building, also required electricity for lights in the torch-lighting building a dark room when the strategy passive design that lead to the energy savings are not applied. Role of solar power to replace electricity necessary to achieve the building comfort (thermal and visual) finally failed because the building was not designed in such a form so that comfort achieved without the many electric energy consumption. Electricity generated by the photovoltaic possibility will not be large enough to cool down and illuminate the building. In other words passive design considerations for the use of energy in buildings in this case can not be ignored.

In the passive design, objectives of architecture work that would be achieved – that is comfortable and aesthetic, are generally made integral. Each step in the preparation of the components to form the jacket, simultaneous will result in the achievement of buildings comfort and aesthetic. Be not so with the case where the design of active solar cell panels can be arranged separate components with the preparation of building casing. In other words, the achievement of building aesthetic in active design done in a more flexible and separate with the strategy of comfort achievement, although in fact the architects are required to thought to integrate a comprehensive comfort needs with aesthetics – between needs using a solar cell panel with place them on the integrated shroud of the building so that the panels at once can be a building aesthetic element.

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Solar Technology

June 03, 2009 By: Admin Category: General

New Solar Technology Trends Around the World

Executive Summary about Solar Technology by Philip Richards

solar technology1 Solar Technology

In the business of solar energy, the U.S. has not been the biggest buyer of solar power. While the U.S. does quite well exporting solar panels and solar technology, there are many Americans who still find the cost of panels very prohibitive. As the price of solar energy decreases, Europe has had a much higher demand for solar power than anywhere else in the world. Many European universities and campuses have rebuilt their dorms to run off solar energy. Most water heaters in Europe are solar-powered, even if the home doesn’t have a full solar panel system.

In Europe, it’s not just small residential power systems that are leading the way in solar energy dependence. Specifically, Italy, Greece and the Czech Republic are the newest customers of solar power systems. These countries have begun to purchase so much solar energy that their borders have seen changes in tariffs for solar panels. Japan, who’s also been at the forefront of solar panel imports, has picked up solar panel buying as the cost of gas and electricity rises. There are entire neighborhoods in Japan outfitted with residential solar power panels. For example, the neighborhood of Iwaki New Town has about 46 homes outfitted with full private solar power panels. Japan also uses solar energy in surprising places. Japan is the only country to power most of its vending machines with solar energy. Sharp, one of the largest solar panel producing companies in Japan estimates that by 2010, Japan will produce 4.8 million kWh of solar energy.

The Race For New Solar Technology Is On
Executive Summary about Solar Technology by Winifred Churchill

Companies around the world are beginning to seriously consider the POWER of solar power.

  • In Mexico a solar dish is being tested. The expanding and contracting hydrogen gas drives pistons which power a generator which creates electricity.
  • A new thin-film technology is being used on the windows of high-rise apartment buildings and skyscrapers to collect the sun’s power for use in the buildings. It is attractive and not nearly as expensive as regular solar panels.
  • Thin-film is attracting major manufacturers around the world.
  • New solar technology is using crystalline silicon cells for solar power panels.

One criticism of solar energy is that it cannot be relied upon for a steady supply of energy, but there are projects underway which are addressing that issue. In short, solar technology is going the way of the computer industry or cell phones. Now you get the same functionality available in personal computers on tiny cell phones. The new silicon cells for solar panels may bring a similar revolution to solar power making it a reliable, clean source of energy.

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Solar Film

May 26, 2009 By: Admin Category: General

Solar Film For Windows

Executive Summary about Solar Film by Christine Douglas

solar film Solar Film

You feel compelled to use solar energy, but at this time you simply aren’t in the position to install a solar power system in your home for one reason or another. Solar film for windows is a cost-effective, yet efficient way to participate in passive solar heating.

Solar film for windows is a light film that is applied to the windows in your home. It rejects 60% of the sun’s rays coming through your home. The first reason is energy.

Solar film for windows is great for many other reasons. It blocks 99% of UV rays, keeping your furniture and home décor safe from fading. The film also protects against weather damage.

Solar film for windows is widely available. You can purchase frosted solar film, creating the look of frosted glass at a fraction of the cost.

Using Window Film and Shades to Protect Your Home Interior From the Sun
Executive Summary about Solar Film by David Kraft

Home builders are reporting a higher frequency of larger and higher quantities of windows in new homes and home remodels being done. Rays from the sun can cause glare, hot spots, and fading to household items. One way to prevent these things from happening is to add a layer of window film to your windows. Window film can help to improve heating and cooling efficiency and block UV rays that cause fading to furniture, carpet, and other interior possessions. Film is available in tints that are not drastically change the color of the window but will still accomplish the goals of blocking the sun’s harmful rays. The key to window films is to have them properly installed by a specialist to ensure multiple years of functionality.

Solar screen shades are an alternative to window film that can accomplish the same things. They are available in varying levels of opacity and are available in motorized models that completely roll up nearly out of sight to allow homeowners to completely enjoy their large windows when they want to. Solar screen shades are simple, yet attractive ways to protect your homes interior and are available in a variety of colors that will enhance the appeal of any interior, regardless of design preference.

Choosing larger or higher quantities of windows in your home opens you up to more risk for faded interior and decreases in your home’s heating and cooling system efficiency.

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Solar Hot Water

May 20, 2009 By: Admin Category: Solar Heater

Solar Hot Water

Executive Summary about Solar Hot Water by Anna Williams

solar hot water Solar Hot Water

Solar hot water heating systems are a great way to effectively conserve energy and reduce your energy bill.

Important Facts about Solar Hot Water Systems

  • Solar water heaters can be used in any climate.
  • The fuel used to run a solar heater is sunshine.
  • A solar water heater can reduce your water heating bill by fifty to eighty percent.
  • Aside from reducing your energy bill right now, a solar heating system will protect you from future energy price increases.
  • When building a new home, or when refinancing, the economic aspect of this becomes even more interesting.
  • Using solar power to heat your water will significantly reduce your carbon footprint.
  • Solar heaters can be installed in combination with backup systems.

Types of Solar Hot Water Systems

There are two types of systems, “active solar water heating systems” and “passive solar water heating systems.” With a passive system, the water storage tank must therefore always be positioned above the solar water heater collector.

Active Solar Hot Water Systems

There is also the direct circulation system, where water is simply passed through solar heat collector and then routed to the water storage tank for use.

Passive Solar Hot Water Systems

Passive solar water heating systems are usually cheaper than “active solar water heating systems,” as they do not need controls or pumps to circulate the water.

If you live in a warm climate, a passive water heating system might be all you need. Essentially, solar water heating systems consist of a water storage tank and its solar collectors. The solar collectors are used to collect solar energy (which heats water), and the tanks store the heated water. 75% of the energy consumption of the average home is for hot water and heating. The most economical and effective way of using solar power is through the use of solar heating, and solar hot water heaters.

Homemade Solar Hot Water Heater – One of the Easiest Home Renewable Energy Systems You Could Make?
Executive Summary about Solar Hot Water by Denzil De Vries

Installing a solar hot water system is one of the easier projects to undertake if you are keen to create your own home made renewable energy systems.

The key to the solar hot water system is the solar collector. It is just a tank that has been modified to absorb thermal energy from the Sun. So it may be painted black on the external surfaces and have insulation on the internal surfaces to prevent heat loss.

The flat plate solar collector design uses the same principles but is designed to squeeze even more juice out of the Sun. The plate is painted black to again absorb solar radiation and heat. Along the plate is tubing that will hold water. The tubing exposes far more water to the heat than the ordinary old solar collector. This means more water is heated or made hotter.

Where you place your collector is vitally important but is dictated by two factors. It needs to get as much Sun as it can, so a south facing location in the home is best. But it also needs to move water to the boiler system in the home. So the nearer it is to the boiler the better. If the boiler is well located you could position the solar water collector above the boiler and let gravity move the water from boiler and back to collector based on the heat of the water.

A solar hot water system can be a simple as a solar water collector that has no moving parts or electricity to worry about and a connection to your boiler system.

Most people look into a solar hot water heater because they want to save money on their heating bills. With this in mind a solar hot water heater will help to reduce your bills by pre-heating water that goes into your traditional boiler.

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pixel Solar Hot Water

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