Solar

E N E R G Y

How a solar system works

Photovoltaic Cells
As light hits the chemically treated silicon cells
in the solar panel, electrons inside the atoms Solar
radiation
are set free. The electrons move down a con-
ducting material, like a wire, and this movement
creates an electrical current.
Solar
Panel

Controller
Battery

+ – Controller
Eventually the current makes its way to a battery. On it’s way, the cur-
rent passes through a controller which shuts the flow of electricity off
when the battery becomes too full and can’t hold any more power.
Using the power
Batteries/Direct Current (DC)
These currents can be used immediately or stored in
a battery for later use. Batteries store a form of elec-
tricity called “direct current” which powers appliances
such as flashlights and portable radios.

Inverter/Alternating Current (AC)

The type of current found in wall sockets is called “alternating cur-
rent”. This is the form of electricity which powers things like wash-
ing machines, toasters etc. In a solar system this can be produced
using a device called an inverter which allows you to transform
“DC” electricity into “AC” electricity.
B.C. Hydro Energy Resources Book #6

Advantages
Photovoltaic systems do not produce any
greenhouse gas emissions while operating
and are totally silent.

Photovoltaic panels is one of the easiest

green energies to use in an urban setting.

The fuel for these systems is the sun and

the sun is a free and relatively endless
source of energy .

The sun is immediately accessible, reducing This locally generated power virtually main-
the dangers and pollution of transporting oil tenance free.
or coal to power stations.
www.fsec.com
Quick Facts
Solar energy around the world
From 1999 - 2000 the sales of PV cells in Canada had grown by 33%, but there
are still less than 40 PV systems that are connected to the power grid. The cumu-
lative installed capacity of PV power in Canada reached 5,586 kW producing
about 9,062,458 kWh of energy per year.

The average cost of solar energy is between $0.30-

$0.60 per kilowatt hour. that is high com-
pared to the Canadian average of
$0.06. However, in the over 300
remote Canadian communities
solar energy can be cost effec-
tive due to their reliance on
expensive diesel generated
power ($0.30-1.50 per
kilowatt hour).

Everyday in Canada every

square meter of space
receives up to 4.5 kWh of
free solar energy, enough to
power 45 light bulbs for an
hour. Photovoltaic panels can
convert 16%-18% of that sunlight
into usable electricity.** However, panels
in laboratories are now reaching 30% efficiency.

Canadian PV Power Market

http://cedrl.mets.nrcan.gc.ca/e/pubs_e.html*
Canada Annual Report 1997 — PV Technology Status and Prospects
http://cedrl.mets.nrcan.gc.ca/e/pubs_e.html**
www.solarenergy.com
Assuming panels operate at maximum output 4 hours per day, using
BC average household energy use
 The costs
The price of energy is measured in cents per kilowatt hour
(kWh). You can think of it as the cost of having ten 100
watt light bulbs on for one hour. Currently, the cost of solar
energy in Canada is between 30 and 60 cents per kWh,
compared to the average of electricity cost of 6 cents.
Although costs are still high for photovoltaic systems, with
anything else, mass manufacture tends to lower cost. In
1970, solar power cost $60 per kilowatt-hour, to $1 in
1980, to about 21 cents in 1993. According to a KPMG
report, if 500 million watts of solar panels were manufac-
tured per year, the price would be reduced by 60-80 %.
That scale of production would require a plant that is 25
times larger that the largest currently in operation.
B.C. Hydro Energy Resources Book #6 p. 15
Solar energy: from perennial promise to
competitive alternative, KPMG p. 2-3

Greenhouse gases
and climate change
In Canada there is 5,586 kW of installed solar capacity, producing about 9 billion watts
hours of energy. This is actually not a high number at the moment, but assuming an that on
average in Canada 550 tonnes of CO2 are released for every billion watt hours of energy
produced, we have prevented almost 5, 000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.* That figure would
be the equivalent of taking about 1,000 cars off the road forever.**

BC Hydro 1996 Integrated Electricity Plan Alternative 1-7 *

http://www.climatepartners.com**
 The challenges
The major challenge of photovoltaic (PV)
generated electricity the cost is about
$0.30-$0.60 per kilowatt hour. This cost is
too high for widespread use in Canada,
where energy costs are low. To be cost
effective, solar systems need to be con-
nected to the utility power line. Such an
arrangement is called “net metering” and it
means that an owner of a home solar sys-
tem is automatically paid for excess power
to the utility company on a sunny day and
charged for extra power consumption on a
rainy day. Remote locations must use ex-
pensive batteries to store the power for
night time and rainy days.
Solar panels also require a great deal of
energy in their manufacture. In fact it take
1-7 years of continuous use for a solar
panel to “pay back” the energy in took to
make it.*
Solar energy requires no fuel, so the operat-
ing costs are low. However, the high initial
cost of purchase can be too big a financial
risk. Solar systems cost about $4500 per
kW of capacity versus $1500 for wind**
This challenge can be overcome by a financ-
ing plan which spreads the cost over the
lifetime of the system.

www.awea.org/faq/bal.html p.2*
BC Hydro 1995 Integrated Electricity Plan Alternative1-8 to 1-13 **
 Follow up
WWW.SOLARENERGYLIMITED.COM
WWW.FSEC.COM
WWW.DAVIDSUZUKI.ORG
WWW.CANSIA.CA
WWW.NEWENERGY.ORG
WWW.SUNWINDSOLAR.COM
WWW.SOLARENERGY.ORG
B.C. HYDRO ENERGY RESOURCES EDUCATION BOOKLETS # 1 - 6

Order a kit
or blueprints
For more information on how to build your
own green energy model, or to order kits,
contact
Environmental Youth Alliance
tel 604 689 4463
fax 604 689 4242
PO BOX 34097 Station D
Vancouver BC
V6J 4M1
For model building instructions visit
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