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Solar Panels: Key Points

The document discusses different types of solar power systems including photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar power systems, and solar updraft towers. It also discusses plans for increasing solar power production in the US through a "Solar Grand Plan" which aims to provide 69% of US electricity and 35% of total energy from solar by 2050 primarily through large-scale photovoltaic farms. Additionally, the document notes that a new electricity transmission system would be needed due to solar power's variable production and geographic mismatch with current energy demand.

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Victor Wegener
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41 views

Solar Panels: Key Points

The document discusses different types of solar power systems including photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar power systems, and solar updraft towers. It also discusses plans for increasing solar power production in the US through a "Solar Grand Plan" which aims to provide 69% of US electricity and 35% of total energy from solar by 2050 primarily through large-scale photovoltaic farms. Additionally, the document notes that a new electricity transmission system would be needed due to solar power's variable production and geographic mismatch with current energy demand.

Uploaded by

Victor Wegener
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Solar Panels

Key points:

1. Photovoltaic systems
2. Concentrated solar power systems
3. Solar updraft towers
4. “A solar grand plan” for the USA
5. A new type of solar panel

1. Photovoltaic systems

 Means electricity produced from the light


 Are solar panels which convert sunlight directly into electricity
 Supplied just 0.04% of the world’s total energy needs
 PV is used to power calculators using a single solar cell
 Are made of semi-conducting materials which are similar to those used in computer chips

2. Concentrated solar power systems

 Uses mirror or lenses and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam
 This concentrated light is used as a heat source for a conventional thermal power plant
 Global installed capacity of CSP systems is currently less than that of photovoltaics
 Comprises a linear parabolic reflector which concentrates light onto a receiver positioned
along the reflector’s focal line
 The reflector tracks the sun on two axes
 Solar power towers are using a large number of heliostats, which concentrate the sun’s rays
onto a central receiver positioned at the top of a tower

3. Solar updraft towers

 Also known as solar chimneys


 A large area of “greenhouse” would be constructed with a very tall tower in the middle
 The hot air in the greenhouse would rise rapidly up the tower, driving turbines along the way

4. A new type of solar panel

 Are comprised of arrays of photovoltaic cells made from silicon


 These cells absorb photons in light and transfer their energy into electrons, which form an
electrical circuit
 Solar panels are costly to install, have to be tilted and carefully positioned
 Australia is planning to build the world’s biggest single solar power plant in the state of
Victoria
5. “A Solar Grand Plan” for the USA

 Three leading experts in solar electricity have presented this with the overall aim to end US
dependence on foreign oil and slash greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
 Solar power could provide 69% of US electricity and 35% of its total energy by 2050
 Solar energy could be provided at prices equivalent to today’s rates of conventional energy
 The plan is to create large-scale development of photovoltaic farms
 One significant disadvantage of solar power would be that it generates little power at night
and little when skies are cloudy
 Therefore, excess electricity must be produced during sunny hours
 Due to the fact that the geography of solar power in the US is very different from the current
energy supply situation, a new high voltage direct current power transmission system would
have to be constructed

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