High Power Solar Panels
Posted by admin on April 20th, 2009 filed in Power Articles
A high power solar panel is capable of producing above 20 percent efficiency. The first ever large scale deployment and use of solar energy was developed for space satellites. USA was the first country to enable production of solar cells that gave 20% efficiency and this was in the year 1980. By 2000, USA had produced several solar cells that were producing 24% efficiency. Recently several large companies have risen to dominate the world of solar cell production by producing cells that give 28% efficiency. From these a truly high power solar panel can be constructed.
The solar panel basically consists of pure silicon. Silicon is first stripped of all its impurities and hence provides the most ideal neutral platform for enhancing the transmission of electrons. In its natural state, Silicon can carry at the max four electrons although it has the ability to carry eight. So mathematically speaking it has enough room for 4 more electrons.
When a silicon atom comes into contact with a second silicon atom then each of them balances charge by combining the other’s extra four electrons. So the 8 electrons satisfy a single silicon atoms’ needs and this results in the creations of a strong bond but the fact is that there are no negative or positive charges. The production of pure silicon requires this process of combination over a period of time. Once the pure silicon is ready, it is applied on to the plates of solar panel . When silicon is combined or doped with other elements it can then the produce a positive or negative charge.
The chronicle of solar panels can be dated back to 1839 as this was the period of time when French physicist Antoine-Cesar Becquerel made the astounding uncovering of the photovoltaic effect. This surprising discovery took place during an experiment that involved an electrolytic cell made from two metal electrodes and was placed within an electrolyte solution. Becquerel discovered during the experiment that when the electrolytic cells were exposed to light, it produced small amount of electricity. As the light increased, the amount of electricity increased. This was the beginning of how solar panel manifested.
Nearly a half century would pass before the first was developed by Charles Fritts in 1883. He constructed selenium coating sheets with a micro-thin layer of gold to create his cell. Up to 1941 there were various scientists as well as inventors who started experimenting with solar energy. It was during this period of time that Clarence Kemp, an inventor from Baltimore patented the first ever commercial water heater powered by solar energy. Albert Einstein published a thesis on photoelectric effect and within a short period of time received the Nobel Prize for his thesis and valuable research.
The first silicon solar cell was created and patented at Bell Labs an American inventor named Russell Oh in about 1941. By 1954 the Lab had created the ‘crystalline’ silicon solar panel. This was the most effective solar cells in that era as it achieved a 4 percent return on overall energy conversion. In the next few years several scientists from all over the world continued their research, study and experimentation to improve upon the original solar cells and started producing solar cells that gave 6% efficiency on overall energy conversion.
Survey: Japan Outpaced by Europe in Organic Semiconductor Solar …
Survey: Japan Outpaced by Euro… Read more…
Solar panels are being looked as the provider of tomorrow as the other forms of creating electricity are getting replenished by the day. There are several online sources and websites who are selling solar panels with a power range that varies from 10WP to 280WP.
Leave a Comment