|
Many people who desire to tap into electric energy from the sun express an interest in knowing how solar panels work. This they do soon after coming to learn that they will have to buy and install such panels, before they can tap into solar energy. It is obvious that a critical thinker, presented with that information, would tend to develop questions as to how exactly the panels would be working in the generation (or rather obtainment) of electric energy from the sun. There are, of course, numerous books written about the workings of solar electric systems, of which the solar panels are an integral part. But most of their descriptions are usually hard to internalize - being as they typically are, meant for technically-advanced readers. Yet such technical descriptions are not what most people tend to be in search of, as they try to understand how solar panels work. What they need is a basic description of the 'science of solar panels,' which is precisely what we proceed to give. It is to be assumed that most readers are awake to the fact that solar panels are meant to facilitate the obtainment of electric power from the sun. But how exactly do they do that? To answer that question, you have to take cognizance of the fact that these panels are typically made out of semiconductors. These are materials which are neither conductors nor insulators. Their atomic structure tend to be unique, in the sense that they have 'holes' which can be filled with electrons in some cases, and 'extra electrons' which they can 'donate' in other cases. More notable is the fact that it takes a very little amount of energy to detach electrons (the 'extra electrons') from these materials. When such materials are used in making photovoltaic solar panels, and the panels are exposed to the sun, light (photo) energy the sun inevitably causes the 'extra' electrons to detach. Such detached electrons can flow, if the photovoltaic solar panel is connected to a conductor. And, indeed, that is what happens is solar electricity systems: the solar panels are exposed to the sun for electrons to detach, and then connected to a conductor, for the electrons thus detached to flow. The flow of electrons, in turn, yields some force akin the force generated by the flow of water in a river, also termed as a current. This force - like any other type of force - can be harnessed to do useful work. In the case of solar electricity systems, the force/current is used to charge an electrical battery (that is, in most cases). Charging a battery is about pulling electrons from one terminal to the other, and that requires some force: in this case, provided by the current created out of the flow of electrons from a solar panel. The energy from the panels could as well be used directly, but if you opt to do so, the system will only work when there is sunlight. That would limit it seriously, hence the decision to, effectively, store the energy harnessed from the sun through solar panels in a battery. From the battery, the electric current can be inverted (thus converted into alternating current), and then used to power appliances which only take in alternating current from the national/mains grid. If you have a full set of appliances which can take in direct current, you draw the same directly from the battery charged by electricity from the solar panels, without any need for inversion.
To get better understanding on photovoltaic solar panels visit our site http://www.squidoo.com/buying-solar-panels-guide
|
