SOLAR CELLS

By Kyle
Brown

WHAT ARE
SOLAR CELLS ???
A solar cell (other wise known as a
photovoltaic cell) generates energy directly
form the sun by the prosses of the photovoltaic
effect. A single solar cell is to small to do much in the means

of producing electricity so by stringing them together we get a

solar panel. Solar panels usually are made to put out a
current of 12 volts allowing easy access to be used singlely or
in an array to collect more energy.

HOW DO SOLAR
PANELS WORK
Solar cells are made when covering a wafer in
photovoltaic cells, strung together making solar
panels. Then the panels convert the radiation strait
into a DC (Direct Current) electricity. Being that the
world runs on AC (Alternating Current) there has to
be a inverter that changes DC into AC. After it is
turned into AC it is ready to be used in everyday use
to charge your phone or warm your house.

NANOTECHNOLOGY
IN SOLAR CELLS
Nanotechnology has helped solar panels in many
ways like the cost. The cost of solar panels is
almost unreasonably expensive. Instead of using a
high temmperture process theres a new way
simaler to printing on a piece of paper that is
cheeper, faster. Although the nanotech versions of
solar panels are not as efficient as traditional ones,
they are able to be formed differently making them
smaller and flexible. Now they are starting to put
them in roofing shingles to turn your entire roof into
a large solar panel. Something the conventional

EVEN MORE
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN
SOLAR CELLS
at Michigan Technological university, resurchers have developed
a new pattern out of graohene that is able to acheve a 7.5 percent
conversion of sunlight into usable energy.
This new Honeycomb patern of graphen are layed out in sheets and
held apart bu a lithium carbonate. Meanwhile resrchchers at MIT
have developed graphene coated with zinc oxide nanowires
alowning cheep and flexible. Also they are studying solar cells
made from a single molecular thick sheet of graphene. It this works
they estimate up to 1000 times more power then conventional solar
cells.

ENERGY

USING SOLAR

Solar cells are some of the cleanest forms of

energy we have ever made. Our world seems to be
dependent on fossil fuels so dependent on them in
fact that we are depleting them faster then they are
made. If we dont find an alternate fuels source we
may soon run out. Solar is a great alternative, while
it does have its own problems it also has many
positives. Probably the domant one being that it is
pure clean energy.

WHY DONT WE
USE SOLAR MORE
If solar energy is so much better then why we havent
switched to purely solar energy or at least use it more
then fossil fuels? There's a few different reasons one
being that it isnt always reliable. Solar need the sun to
be effective, being there are clouds that can block
larges amounts of the sun for possibly days there are to
many variables that can effect the energy flow. Another
is the coast. Although solar panels are have been
developing for many years the total coust of switching to
purly solar energy would coast more then it would be
worth,

VIDEO ON
SOLAR ENERGY
http://
ed.ted.com/lessons/why-aren-t-we-only-using-solar-power-alexand
ros-george-charalambides#review

CONCLUSION OF
SOLAR CELLS
In conclusion solar cells are becoming more and
more involved in our world. Soon solar panels may
become efficient enough to replace all homes roofs
with solar panels. Though there will be days the
clouds are out and raining for the days that the sun is
out with no interference our dependency on fossel
fuels are coming to a close one way or another.

SOURCES
1. http://www.explainthatstuff.com/solarcells.html
2. www.solarcity.com/commercial/how-does-solar-energy-work
3. http://www.solar-power-answers.co.uk/basics.php
4. http://
ed.ted.com/lessons/why-aren-t-we-only-using-solar-power-alexand
ros-george-charalambides#review

SOURCES

PHOTO

Sun Photo https://www.google.com/url?

sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&v
ed=0ahUKEwjarsuZyLLJAhVOwWMKHX2MAZAQjRwIBw&url=https
%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki
%2FSun&psig=AFQjCNGZ11BShBTVmt9YtBLHxzJN0LfOeA&ust=144
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