Wednesday 8 January 2014

Solar Energy: The Benefits Of The Sun

By Hedrick Lepsch


Solar technology is constantly under revision as new techniques and materials are developed making this source of energy a viable option for governments, companies, and individuals. A newly developed heat-resistant material vastly improves the efficiency of solar panels by converting heat from the sun (high energy lights) into infrared light which can be absorbed by the solar cells and converted into electricity.

Harnessing the sun is no easy task but as our technology increases, we can take advantage of this unending power source. Solar energy is harnessed through large panels that can be put up in convenient places such as your roof. Solar panels are used on the satellites up in space and consequently, have become much more reliable over the years. You can install the solar panels and then forget about them.

The tabs have two parts: The absorber and the emitter. Early versions of these tabs or thermal emitters would fall apart before reaching noteworthy temperatures of 2200 degrees Fahrenheit but the new technology can withstand temperatures of 2500 degrees while still functioning correctly.

This electrolyte medium must be very pure and free of water to ensure efficient charging/discharging of energy inside the battery. The cathode and anode do not directly touch one another as it would cause a short circuit. Between the two layers in the electrolyte is another (extremely thin) layer simply called the separator.

The intermediary component absorbs light heating up and then converts the heat to infrared light which can be picked up by the solar cells. Theoretically this raises a solar cells efficiency from a high of 34 percent to 80 percent. Eight percent of sunlight touching a solar panel is converted to energy. With such an increase in efficiency the effectiveness of traditional solar cells like Helios 310 watt panels increases dramatically making them cost-effective at the same time. However the technology is not near that point yet. Currently the efficiency of the system is around 8 percent.

Solar panels aren't just for places that are on deserted islands or faraway places; you can actually have them in your regular suburban neighborhood and be ahead of the curve on your street. Go green Everyone wants to go green. Companies are producing "green" products. Going green is the alternative to other fossil fuels.

The tungsten covered in ceramic was still capable of producing infrared light from the heat absorbed making the technology potentially viable. While this may not appear too exciting at first glance it represents a huge step forward in thermophotovoltaics.

All of these panels were enough to generate about half of all the energy required for the station. This was a great stride for London to be moving towards renewable energy. This recent update to the station has put this station on the map in the busy London area.

The Solar world is constantly seeing new developments making solar energy cheaper and more efficient eventually to challenge the use fossil fuels as the dominant source of energy. The developments in the area of themophotovoltaics represent a future of highly efficient, cost-effective panels that can be created from common materials and used in everyday life. With such advances in materials, methods, and size of panels you have to wonder what technology will be developed next.




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