Posts Tagged: Electrons

Solar panels are a handy tool for utilizing the sun’s energy and turning it into usable electricity. The question how to build a solar collector has been asked by millions of people around the world who seek to convert their homes and save money.

There are numerous advantages with the use of the sun’s energy compared to conventional electricity created by power plants, fossil fuels, and oil refineries. Although they create electricity, the cost is high and pollution serves to be a threat in the process.

The question of how to build a solar collector is stressed through different reliable sources coming from reputable companies and institutions that address the ecological and economic significance of solar powered systems.

The entire building process can be summarized into simple steps, which can be followed and executed by any adult without experience as engineers and mechanics.

1. The first step in building a collector is to obtain the necessary set of materials including solar plates, photovoltaic cells, semiconductor block, conducting wires and batteries.

2. Second, the solar plates are connected to the photovoltaic cells, which receive sunlight and dissect the molecules to isolate electrons. It is important to understand that electrons are the primary elements, which power electrical appliances.

3. Once the electrons have been isolated, they are sent through a semiconductor block, which serves as the bridge to the battery. The semiconductor block also screens unneeded electrical molecules such as protons and neutrons, which could lead to electrical disruption if not removed.

4. All of the components are connected to each other through conductive wires. The wires are soldered to the receiving end of the tools used. In order to maximize the amount of energy transferred, large numbers of heavy wires are used. This also allows quick transmission of electricity.

5. The final step in the process of energy transmission is the storage of captured electricity to the battery. The battery is connected to a receiver through long tubes of conductive materials. Usually, large batteries with the ability to store electricity lasting for about 24 to 48 hours are used.

Once you understand how to build a solar collector by following these simple steps, any person can easily capture the sun’s vast energy and produce their own power source.

Millions of homes have opted to use residential solar power to reduce their payment of electrical bills. There are also numerous other advantages to this option, which addresses many problems electrical users run into today.

Thinking of using solar power in your home? Discover the best do it yourself manuals by reading our DIY Residential Solar Power and Windmill Power Reviews. In one weekend, diy solar power kits can reduce your electric bill, save you money, and give you bragging rights in your neighborhood. Click here now >>> DIY Residential Solar Power and Windmill Power Reviews

There are many detailed articles and in fact entire books written about how electricity is generated and transmitted to houses and businesses. Heck, entire college courses cover this concept. If you are looking for extreme details on this, please check out your local library. If you are looking for the basics, read on.

Lets talk about what exactly electricity is before we start talking about how it is delivered to your house. Think of electricity as water flowing through a pipe or garden hose. The water is really electrons in the metal that makes up the wire. The hose is the wire that transports the water (electricity). There are all kinds of fancy definitions, but that is the basics.

After leaving the power plant, electricity is transported on power lines. It is more efficient to transport high voltages so the voltage on the lines is very high. Power lines form a huge system or grid that attaches everybody’s house and business to the power plants. In the United States, virtually the entire country is attached to the same grid. Texas is almost separate, but there are still a couple ties into the rest of the grid. All power plants add electricity into the system so if one plant goes down, there is still electricity because the other plants just put a little more in.

The power lines deliver voltage to transformers (usually a series of transformers) to change (step down) the voltage to 120V for you to use in your house. At your house, the power comes to one spot before being sent out to the rest of your house. This one common point is either a fuse box or a breaker box depending on how old your house is.

Traditionally, one electricity company took care of delivering energy to your house and you didn’t have to worry about picking your company. This was nice because it was one less thing to worry about. Unfortunately, this can mean you have to pay higher prices.

Over the last few years, a different business model for electricity has started to emerge. It is a deregulated business model where multiple companies (one such company is ambit energy) sell electricity and have to compete for customers. In this model, one company or set of companies owns the power plants while a different set of companies is responsible for selling the electricity. Some states like Texas, New York, and Illinois allow non-monopolistic companies to essentially buy electricity from the power plants and sell it to consumers. In the place of large companies, small companies even individual people become Energy Consultants and are making a ton of money. This allows a lot of people to profit from energy instead of just one large monopolistic company.

There is another trend out there that could change the way electricity is generated, or at least the amount that is delivered. residential solar power is starting to save people a ton of money by generating their own power.

If you want to learn more about how electricity is made, check out my Hubpage on the subject.

As the world advances, new technologies arise - or, in some cases, older technologies are exhumed and improved upon.

Although most people are under the impression that the field of photovoltaics is a new subject, based on recent invention, this is not actually the case. But first of all lets take a look at what “photovoltaic” means.

The word “photovoltaics” can be split up in to two parts: “photo” and “voltaic”. The term “photo” is derived from the Greek word “phos” which means “light.” A “volt” is a measurement unit for electrical force. So, literally, “photovoltaic” means “electricity through light.” And that is exactly what the word means: “capturing solar energy in the form of light and converting it into electricity.”

So how do we convert sunlight into solar energy and electricity?

In order to convert sunlight into electricity you need to use a material called a “semiconductor”.

In simple terms, a semiconductor is a material that acts as an insulator, but is also capable of conducting electricity under certain conditions. We employ the characteristics of semiconductors when we convert solar energy (in the form of sunlight) into electricity. It is done as follows:

When a semiconductor (such as silicon) is exposed to sunlight, it releases small amounts of electrical energy. This is due to the process of electrons (bits of electricity) leaving the surface of the semiconductor, in response to being hit by light. We call this the “photoelectric effect.”

Sunlight is made up of “photons”, which are particles of solar energy. Not all photons are the same and not all carry the same amount of energy. The simplest explanation I can think of for this is that light comes in many colors - some forms of light are visible to the eye, and some are invisible (such as infrared or ultraviolet light). But, regardless of color or visibility, the fact remains that light is still light and the basic particle of light is still a photon.

When a photon hits a photovoltaic cell (also called a “PV cell” for short) one of three things occurs:

1. The photon can be reflected by the photovoltaic cell

2. The photon can be absorbed by the photovoltaic cell

3. Or (believe it or not) the photon can even pass right the photovoltaic cell. Only the photons which are absorbed by the photovoltaic cell are converted into solar energy (in the form of electricity).

When a photon is absorbed by the semiconductor (the material in the photovoltaic cell which produces electricity) the solar energy of the photon is passed to an electron in one of the atoms of the semiconductor. With this additional energy the electron is able to break away from its atom. Thus an electrical current is established.

This is the simplicity of what occurs in a photoelectric cell, when sunlight is converted into electricity. The electricity so produced can now be power an electrical device.

As you can see, the field of photovoltaics consists of the technology and the principles we use to convert solar energy into a usable form.

- Photovoltaic Systems

Now that we know what a photovoltaic cell is and how it works, lets take this a step further and take a look at what a photovoltaic system is.

A photovoltaic system has consists of the following components:

- A “photovoltaic module”, or “pv module”. This is a group of photovoltaic cells connected together, commonly referred to as a solar panel, though the terms “PV module” and “solar charger” are used to describe it as well.

- One or more batteries to collect and store the solar energy, which was converted into electricity by the PV modules (or solar panels, solar chargers, or whatever you choose to call them).

- A “charge controller”. This an electrical device which prevents the batteries from being ruined through overcharging, and which also prevents electrical current from flowing back out of the battery into the PV module or solar panel.

- “An inverter.” An inverter an electrical device which changes the electricity produced by the PV modules into alternating current. Alternating current is the type of electricity you get from your wall sockets at home. An inverter is only used with PV systems when you want to produce alternating current as your end result. If you run your house on solar energy, the inverter is installed between the batteries and the fuse panel.

A good quality PV system will operate for more than twenty years. The PV module, having no moving parts, has an expected lifetime exceeding thirty years. Most system problems occur due to poor or sloppy installation.

So how much electricity does a photovoltaic system generate?

The average PV system will generate about 180 kilowatt-hours per square meter, in most areas of the United States.

A PV system rated at 1 kilowatt will produce 1800 kilowatt hours per year.

In case you are not clear on what a “kilowatt-hour” is, this is a way of measuring the amount of electricity produced or consumed.

Let me put it in monetary terms, which might be easier to understand. Many PV panels are guaranteed to last twenty years or more - most even claim to last thirty years. Even if we factor in the natural loss of efficiency in the PV modules over a period of twenty to thirty years, a PV system will generate close to 36,000 Kilowatt-hours in twenty years and 54,000 kilowatt hours over thirty years.

This is the equivalent of $10,000 worth of electricity at current energy prices.

Therefore, though initial installation of a PV system might seem a little costly, in the long run it is far cheaper to run on solar energy.

There are different types and sizes of solar panels (photovoltaic cells) which produce varying amounts of solar power.

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For more information on solar cells and solar power, please visit Solar Cells, DIY Solar Power, or Solar Energy News.

Ecologically and economically practical sources of energy are in the form of systems which utilize solar and wind power for residential purposes. The improvement of the use of solar and wind as a source of power for residential homes gives users countless advantages since it addresses many problems encountered by people today.

Solar and wind power could be derived through an easy yet practical way of utilizing the mechanical and heat energy emanating from the elements. Windmills have long existed and have improved through years of research and redesign.

Solar power is another good source of energy due to its great abundance. Scientists have long searched for practical institutions to cater to the needs of electrical consumers. Here is a review behind the solar and wind utilization process:

Solar Power:

- The latest technology used is that of solar panels. These panels work by absorbing heat from the sun and isolating the electrical components, which are the electrons. Electrons are the driving force to power electrical devices.

- The process of separating electrons from sunlight is a simple one. The parts of the panels include the photovoltaic cell and semiconductor plates that isolate electrons and store them in batteries. This process is quick, which assures reliability of solar energy.

- Tropical countries in the eastern part of the world are perfect sites for solar powered systems. In fact, people in the area have used solar plates for various purposes to power houses, cars, and cooking tools.

Wind Power:

- The blades from windmills are the key to turning mechanical energy into electricity. The blades are designed to react to wind in a rapid manner.

- Once the blades start to rotate, the mechanical force is converted into electrical impulses through the use of converters. The converters are connected to batteries, which store the energy created.

The use of solar and wind power for residential purposes allows homes from various countries to benefit from the natural, renewable resources abundant in the area. The next few decades will give people a bright future due to the steady advances in the use of these systems.

Research has shown that the continuous use fossil fuels to produce electricity have dramatically contributed to the imbalance in the weather and life cycle found in nature. This is a grave problem, which should be addressed by the government to avoid long-term destruction of our planet.

It is the responsibility of homeowners to resort to a better way of producing electricity. The best way is the use of solar and wind power for residential purposes. Millions of dollars have been saved in just a few years due to the use of the energy produced by the sun and wind by thousands of homes throughout the world.

Thinking of using solar power in your home? Discover how in one weekend, DIY solar power kits can reduce your electric bill, save you money, and give you bragging rights in your neighborhood. Click here now >>> DIY Residential Solar Power and Wind Power.