Solar energy technology is a promising new way to meet our energy needs. While total photovoltaic energy production is currently small, it is projected to increase as fossil fuel reserves become limited. Approximately 496,805 square kilometers of Earth’s surface could be covered by solar panels if they operated at 20 percent efficiency. The second-most abundant element in the Earth’s crust is silicon, so it should not be difficult to find a solar panel that is efficient enough to meet our energy needs.
The United States has led the way in solar energy development, and is now ranked as the world’s leading solar producer. Previously, the technology was only available in a niche market, but recent discoveries have opened a new door for the industry. Government incentives have spurred the development of solar technology for both the utility and residential sectors.
Recent advances in solar technology have made it more efficient than ever. For example, Perovskite solar cells, which were pioneered in 2006, are much more efficient than their silicon counterparts. And unlike silicon, they can be manufactured more easily and with far less energy. One of the biggest improvements in perovskite solar cells is that they can be made as thin sheets. This enables them to be deposited onto glass or other surfaces.
Since the early days of solar energy, scientists have tried to harness the energy from sunlight and use it to power our lives. Since then, several patents have been issued for the use of solar energy. Some of them are passive and others are active. They capture, convert, and distribute sunlight. The technology is now used on different levels around the world.
The development of solar cells has been accelerated by the energy crisis in the United States in the 1970s. In 1974, Congress passed the Solar Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act. This act made solar technology more affordable and available to the general public. In the 1980s, solar energy became a mainstream energy source for homes. During this decade, however, growth slowed down due to lower prices of traditional energy. In the 1990s, however, the federal government became more involved in solar energy research and developed tax incentives for solar users.
In addition to being clean, solar cells are also extremely efficient and have very low carbon footprints. They are also long-lasting, lasting more than 25 years without loss of efficiency. In fact, solar energy was used by humans as early as the seventh century B.C. Humans used solar energy to light their fires. They also used mirrors to harness the power of the sun for religious rituals.
Solar water heaters can be made from extremely efficient solar cells and can provide hot water for both heating and washing. With these new technologies, solar energy is gaining ground as a sustainable energy source. It is the fastest growing renewable energy source and has a lower environmental impact than conventional fuel sources. However, there are some challenges involved in developing solar energy technology.
Solar cells can only generate power when the sun is shining. It doesn’t have a storage method, and therefore only produces electricity during daylight. This makes it expensive to produce solar cells. PVs are also susceptible to seasonality and cloudiness, which affects how much power they can generate in a day.
Concentrated solar power, on the other hand, is typically found in large-scale installations. This type of solar power uses mirrors and lenses to concentrate sunlight into a narrow zone. This technique was developed in the 18th century. Alessandro Battaglia obtained the first patent for this technology in 1886.
A solar cell is a semiconductor that is made up of crystalline silicon. This material has a low “ground” energy value, and a higher energy “excited” state. When sunlight strikes a solar cell, electrons in the absorber layer react by emitting electrons. The other materials in the cell prevent the electrons from recombining and flow as a current. Individual solar cells typically produce one to two watts of power, but larger solar panels can generate up to 100 watts of power. These solar cells are usually part of a complete solar system, which includes mounting structures that direct the panels toward the sun and an inverter for converting DC output into AC power.
Despite a volatile year like this, the solar industry has made significant progress in the past two years. After the COVID-19-related lockdowns in 2020, solar energy has rebounded and is now projected to add 191GW of new solar PV capacity. That’s a significant increase over 2020. Indeed, several countries have already surpassed their targets for 2021. Furthermore, governments have set ambitious targets for decarbonization in the coming years.
