Solar Energy

Today, with sustainable development and climate change becoming growing concerns, solar energy is increasingly being seen as a viable solution to our energy needs. The sun is a highly stable and predictable resource, which makes solar technology correspondingly reliable and easy to use. And because the sun’s energy is converted directly into electricity by a semiconductor, and requires no fuel or moving parts, it creates no pollution. As a result, solar energy is one of the cleanest renewable forms of energy around.

How a solar photovoltaic energy system works

In a solar panel, each photovoltaic cell is made of light-sensitive semiconductor material. Such materials, of which silicon is a prime example, release their electrons when exposed to photons (particles of light). In nature, electrons released by light-sensitive materials recombine immediately and do not generate any electricity. But a photovoltaic cell forces the released electrons into a particular direction to create an electric current.

To do this, one layer of semiconductor material, such as modified silicon, is placed on top of another: one has a positive charge, the other, a negative one. When the cell is exposed to sunlight (i.e. photons), the electrons released travel from one layer to the other, generating an electric current.

This direct current travels along wires connecting the cells to each other, and the current from all the panels is collected via a series of combiner boxes. Inverters in substations then convert the direct current into alternating current for transportation on the electric grid. Finally, a series of transformers step the voltage up so that the solar energy system can connect with the grid.

Battery storage systems can complement well solar energy because they can store the energy produced by solar panels during the day. The higher the battery’s capacity, the more solar energy it can store. The energy in the battery storage can be used whenever it is needed most, day or night