Solar Energy

Renewable Energy
Flows of energy that are regenerative or virtually inexhaustible.
Most commonly includes solar (electric and thermal), biomass,
geothermal, wind, tidal, wave, and hydro power sources.
Renewable Energy
Solar Hydro
Geo
Thermal
Wind Tidal Bio Mass
Renewable Energy and Environment 2
Solar Energy
Power of the Sun
Every day the sun showers large amount of energy
Even the small amount that strikes our roof is many times as much as
all the energy use
In less than three days the solar energy reaching Earth more than
matches the estimated total of all the fossil fuels on Earth!
E.g. E.g.
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Areas marked by the six discs in the map,
solar cells with a conversion efficiency of only
8 % would produce, on average, 18 TW
electrical power.
That is more than the total power currently
available from all our primary energy sources,
including coal, oil, gas, nuclear, and hydro.
Student Activity 2
Identify and list the uses of SOLAR ENERGY (radiation)?
Active solar techniques: use photovoltaic panels, pumps, and
fans to convert sunlight into useful outputs
Passive solar techniques: designing spaces that naturally Passive solar techniques: designing spaces that naturally
circulate air, and referencing the position of a building to the
Sun
Note: most of the renewable energies derive their energy from
the sun
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Renewable Energy and Environment-
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Applications of Solar Panels
1. lighthouse navigational and warning lights.
2. Industrial automation.
3. Portable solar battery chargers- mainly for military applications.
4. In notebook computers - for research and Military applications.
5. Railway power supplies.
6. Electronic Displays for Welcome signs and Billboards, Transportation, Traffic Control,
Intelligent Systems.
7. Powering of Cameras and video recorders for surveillance in large areas where wiring may be
more costly. more costly.
8. Pipeline monitoring systems. Especially in long distance pipelines.
9. Radio and television relay stations.
10. Powering of offshore oil platforms.
11. Weather monitoring stations.
12. Remote educational television sets
13. Powering of aircraft-warning lights at airports.
14. Remote forest management applications.
15. Sailboats and ships.
16. Applications in space technology
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Solar Energy: Types
Renewable Energy
Solar
Energy Energy
Solar
Photo Voltaic
Solar
Thermal
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Solar Energy: Photovoltaics
Use for power generation
A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell (PV): converts light into
electric current using the photoelectric effect
19 MW solar park in Germany
Solar Home Systems
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Picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SolarparkThngen-020.jpg
Picture: http://www.solarpowerhomesblog.net/
Solar Energy: Solar Thermal
Solar thermal technologies can be used for water heating,
space heating, space cooling and process heat generation
Water heating Steam for cooking
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Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy#Solar_thermal
Heating, cooling and ventilation
Photovoltaics: Operation of a Solar Cell
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A solar cell has at least two layers of semiconductor material.
Photovoltaic effect produces charge carriers within the semiconductor
material by absorbing photons of the sunlight.
Electron flow from the n layer to the p layer produces a DC current.
Photovoltaics: Operation of a Solar Cell
Extra valence electrons in the n-type layer move into the p-
type layer filling the holes in the p-type layer forming what
is called a depletion zone.
The depletion zone does not contain any mobile positive or
negative charges.
Moreover, this zone keeps other charges from the p and n- Moreover, this zone keeps other charges from the p and n-
type layers from moving across it
The p-n junction, only allows the electrons to move in one
direction.
If we provide an external conductive path, electrons will
flow through this path to their original (p-type) side to
unite with holes.
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Photovoltaics: Operation of a Solar Cell
Electron flow provides the current ( I ), and the cell's electric field causes a
voltage ( V ), P = V I
An array of solar cells are connected together in a protective package to
produce a solar module
To achieve desired voltage and current modules are connected is series and
in parallel
Solar array
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Solar array
Solar Panel Characteristics
Ideal solar cell model :
I
Ph
- photocurrent (A)
I
S
- reverse saturation current (A) (approximately range 10
-8
/m
2
)
V - diode voltage (V)
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V - diode voltage (V)
V
T
- thermal voltage (V
T
= 25.7 mV at 25C)
m - diode ideality factor = 1...5 (m = 1 for ideal diode)
Thermal voltage V
T
( V ) :
k - Boltzmann constant = 1.38 x 10-23 J/K
T - temperature ( K )
q - charge of electron = 1.6 x 10-19 As
Solar Panel Characteristics
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Solar Energy on Earth
The earth would intercept a particular flux
of energy in W/m
2
This is called solar constant
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. .
F=Solar constant.
A=Panel area.
Angle to the perpendicular.
P F ACos

=
=
This is called solar constant
(F = 1370 W/m
2
~ 1000 W/m
2
)
Inclining the panel will reduce the
intercepted power by the projected area.
Solar Energy on Earth
Peak Sun Hours (PSH)
1 m
Average daily solar insolation in units of
kWh/m2 per day
15
2 m
1 m
Student Activity 3
Example: The PV panel is mounted at 20
0
elevation with a total area
of 1.08m
2
.
Calculate the maximum efficiency of the system.
Assumptions:
1. Maximum radiation level of 1370W is available
2. The maximum power the solar panel can produce is 100W.
3.The solar panel inclination is 200 in the x axis only
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3.The solar panel inclination is 200 in the x axis only
Colombo Batticaloa
January 5.5 5.1
February 6.2 5.9
March 6.4 6.4
April 6.2 6.3
May 5.7 6.3
June 5.5 5.9
Sri Lankan Situation
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June 5.5 5.9
July 5.7 6.0
August 5.8 6.2
September 6.0 6.3
October 5.6 5.8
November 5.6 5.5
December 5.4 4.9
Annual 5.79 5.89
The seasonal variations in solar resources in Sri Lanka can be somewhat greater at
specific locations, for example ranging from 4.5 to 6.5 kWh/m2/day in the hill
country.
E.g.- Yearly Mean Solar Radiation
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Efficiency and Cost Projection
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I - First generation - Wafers technology
II - Second generation - Thin-film technology
III- Third generation - Advanced high-efficiency thin-film technology
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Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Best_Research-Cell_Efficiencies.png
Panel Efficiency with Temperature
Panels are chosen so that the maximum efficiency is available
in the normal temperature range of the country.
Eg:- For Sri Lanka the optimum temperature rating for the panel
maybe at 30
0
, while for Japan it may be about 20
0
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Panel Efficiency with Temperature
Case study: Japan
Generation from solar (kWh) Temperature range
January 310
Winter 5
0
C February 380
March 485
April 450
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15~25
0
C
April 450
May 498
June 350
Summer >30
0
C
July 500
August 360
September 520
15~25
0
C
October 320
November 430
December 210
Plant Factor- Student Activity 4
The ratio of the average power load of a plant to its rated
capacity
Example 1: Calculate the plant factor for the months of
December and September, assuming a 4.3kW system
Example 2: Calculate average monthly income from the
system for a selling price of Rs.10/= per kWh
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Solar PV Systems: Types
Off grid solar PV Systems
Grid connected Systems with net metering Grid connected Systems with net metering
Solar farms (as power plant)
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Typical off grid solar PV system
1. Solar Array
2. Charge controller
3. Battery
4. Inverter
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Net metering: Grid connected Systems
1. Solar Array
2. Charge controller
3. Battery
4. Inverter
5. Net meter
The consumer is billed for the electricity purchased over the entire period.
(electricity coming from the grid electricity generated by the PV system)
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5. Net meter
(Energy meter)
Types of Solar Panel Inverters
Stand-Alone Solar Panel Inverters
used to change DC from batteries charged by photovoltaic arrays to AC.
used to power isolated systems , e.g. personal or small business projects
Normally these do not interface in any way with the utility grids
Synchronous Solar Panel Inverters
Allow power generated by solar panels to be stored in battery.
If there is an excess, the power is sold back to the utility company and
if there is a shortage, Inverter will allow the utility company to supply
power to make up the difference.
Other types, Grid tie inverters, Battery backup inverters
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Solar Energy Calculations: Example 1 kW System
1 kWh means an energy source supplies 1,000 watts (1 kW)
of energy for one hour
Generally, a solar energy system will provide output for about
5 hours per day (average), i.e., PSHs
So, if you have a 1.0 kW system size and it produces for 5
hours a day, 365 days a year
This solar energy system will produce 1,825 kWh in a year
(1.0 kW x 5 hours x 365 days)
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Energy Output Calculation
Steps
1. Daily solar radiation for your area using a Solar Resource Map
2. Multiply by 365 (days/year)
3. Multiply by 0.8 (correction factor, may vary with the type)
4. Multiply by PV system rating (size given in Name plate)
5. It is solar energy in Wh
E.g. if you have a 1.0 kWsystemand it will produce
Colombo = 6 kWh/m
2
/day
6 X 365 X 0.8 (X 1000) = 1,750 kWh
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Student Activity 5
Calculate the annual energy output of a 2 kW solar PV system
installed in Batticoloa
Colombo Batticaloa
January 5.5 5.1
February 6.2 5.9
March 6.4 6.4
April 6.2 6.3
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May 5.7 6.3
June 5.5 5.9
July 5.7 6.0
August 5.8 6.2
September 6.0 6.3
October 5.6 5.8
November 5.6 5.5
December 5.4 4.9
Annual 5.79 5.89
MELBOURNE SYDNEY BRISBANE
January 6.9 6.7 6.5
February 6.4 5.8 6.2
March 5.2 5.7 5.7
April 3.8 4.4 4.8
Case Study (Australia): System designers calculate the output energy from the peak
sun hours, which is a measure of the available solar energy. It is numerically equal to the
daily solar radiation in kWh/m (Note: it is not the same as the number of hours of
sunlight). Peak sun hours varies throughout the year. Peak sun hours are usually
averaged and presented as a monthly figure.
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April 3.8 4.4 4.8
May 2.8 3.6 4.2
June 2.4 3.4 4.1
July 2.7 3.3 4.2
August 3.3 4.4 5.2
September 4.3 5.2 6.0
October 5.3 5.8 5.9
November 6.1 6.3 6.0
December 6.6 6.9 6.3
Annual 4.6 5.1 5.4
ANNUAL
PEAK
SUNHOURS
4 4.5 5 5.5 6
kWh/YEAR
GRID
CONNECT
1120 1260 1400 1540 1680
kWh/YEAR
STAND
ALONE
810 910 1015 1115 1215
The figures for the systems differ due to the different efficiencies of
1kW system performance
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The figures for the systems differ due to the different efficiencies of
associated equipment such as inverters and batteries (Multiplication factor
280 to obtain annual energy kWh).
A typical Sydney household has an electricity usage of about 5,000kWh per
year. A house with energy efficient appliances and using non-electric
cooking, heating and hot water could use as little as 1,000kWh per year.
Batteries
Used to provide long-term or short-term electrical supply in case of grid failure.
Many grid-connected houses choose to have a small electrical battery system to
provide loads with power for half a day in case of outage
Larger number of batteries are typically used for remote grid-independent
systems.