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Photovoltaics (PV) - Introduction

Photovoltaics (PV) - Introduction

Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert sunlight directly into electricity.  PV cells are usually assembled into weather resistant modules to protect the cells and provide a means of mounting.

   

They have successfully powered space satellites for more than 60 years and now furnish electricity for a wide variety of applications on earth.

Tens of thousands of Arizona homes, schools, and businesses now have photovoltaic power systems that are connected to the utility grid, reducing the need for energy from other power sources, improving the environment.  Arizona electric utilities have embraced photovoltaic power and now have many square miles of large PV arrays.

PV-generated electricity is also used to power water pumps, weather monitoring stations, fire watchtowers, billboard lights, irrigation system, streetlights, boat battery chargers, and numerous other devices in Arizona and throughout the world.  Glistening photovoltaic panels can easily be seen at bus stops, atop many roadside emergency telephones, and as canopies in many parking lots where they provide power and shade.

Nevertheless, photovoltaic systems have established a record of reliability and have proven cost effective for many uses.  They produce no pollution in creating electricity and require no water to operate.  As environmental problems escalate and solar cells costs are reduced, these systems will almost certainly play an important role in our energy future.

For more information, follow the topics below.

Links about larger scale photovoltaic systems:

Solar Electric (PV)

Photovoltaics (PV) covers the conversion of light into electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect, a phenomenon studied in physics, photochemistry, and electrochemistry.

Solar electric has been a gaining strength for a number of years.  In the beginning, early adopters turned to solar for the independence or its environmental benefits: solar homeowners could live beyond the utility lines, and solar was a non-polluting resource.

The earliest adopters were almost exclusively people that lived beyond the reach of the utility lines.  Solar generated electricity and battery storage allowed people to live where ever they wanted. Land was cheaper beyond the power lines and even with the expense of solar, this made economic sense too many people looking to escape urban living. But, the numbers of people living off grid was still a small number.

Environmental concern represented the second wave of solar adopters – as people concerned about the impact their electrical demand was having on the planet turned to solar to lessen their carbon footprint.

According to a 2011 report on renewable energy sources and climate change mitigation, the International Panel on Climate Change calculated the life-cycle global warming emissions associated with renewable energy—including manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance, and dismantling and decommissioning—as minimal [1].

These findings were repeated in other research and data collected and reported on in peer studies over the past decade and helped fuel the environmental argument for solar energy.

The Union of Concerned Scientists compared the carbon dioxide emissions equivalent per kilowatt-hour for coal and renewable energy resources.

It is no surprise that coal is ranked the most polluting electricity generating resource and renewables the least. Coal emits more than 20 times as much carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour of generation compared to the life-cycle carbon emissions for solar PV. The comparison between coal and wind is even greater. Coal emits 71 times more carbon dioxide than wind for each kilowatt-hour of electricity generated [2].

In addition, a study by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory explored the feasibility and environmental impacts associated with generating 80 percent of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by 2050 and found that global warming emissions from electricity production could be reduced by more than 80 percent [3].

The healthy alternative extended beyond the concern for the planet, the third wave of solar adopters included people looking for healthy alternatives for humankind.

This wave looked to generating electricity from renewable energy rather than fossil fuels because of the  significant public health benefits.  From reduced premature mortality to lost workdays associated with breathing illnesses, the economic impact of fossil fuels on overall healthcare costs has been estimated at between $361.7 and $886.5 billion [4].

The last wave came was the during the Great Recession of the late 2000s and early 2010s. Solar PV offered the opportunity to re-tool America and create significant jobs as a result.

In 2009, the Union of Concerned Scientists conducted an analysis of the economic benefits of a 25 percent renewable energy standard by 2025; it found that such a policy would create more than three times as many jobs as producing an equivalent amount of electricity from fossil fuels, resulting in a benefit of 202,000 new jobs in 2025 [5].

For the past two or three decades, the reasons for adopting solar have been growing stronger every day.  The tipping point is cost-parity and that day is not far off, and in some cases, it has already been realized.

References:

1.      Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 2011. IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation.

2.      Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). 2009.

3.      National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). 2012. Renewable Electricity Futures Study. Volume 1, pg. 210.

4.      Machol, Rizk. 2013. Economic value of U.S. fossil fuel electricity health impacts. Environment International 52 75–80.

5.      Environmental Protection Agency. 2010. Assessing the Multiple Benefits of Clean Energy: A Resource for States. Chapter 5.

For a more technical introduction to small utility connected PV systems, the interactive PV-Explore presentation presents some details.  This is slightly dated (2012 state of the art), but describes some of the components.  At present it is not integrated with the rest of this website, use your back arrow to return to this page. PV-Explore- Understanding and Troubleshooting Grid Connected PV systems  

For more information, follow the topics below.

Links about larger scale photovoltaic systems:

Some interesting uses of PV:

Solar Electric (PV) Technology

Introduction

Photovoltaics (PV for short) is the technology that converts light directly into electricity. It all starts with the basic solar cell that may be made from many different materials. The most popular material is silicon. There are many processes that may be used (See our article on Solar Cells) and substantial development work is in process worldwide on methods that increase efficiency (higher rate of conversion of sunlight), reduce costs, and increase the lifetime of the solar cells.
A single solar cell is not very useful, the voltage is low and the solar cell can easily be damaged by the environment. See our article on Fundamentals of Photovoltaic Systems for further details on making solar cells into useful items.
A major feature of photovoltaic systems is the ability to produce electrical energy without any need for fuels or causing polution. The costs of the produced energy are hard to quantify as most of the costs are up front capital costs and the amount of energy produced depends on the site weather and several installation design elements.
 
How to Use Photovoltaic Technology
 
 
The practical use of photovoltaic technology ranges from very small to very large and close to home and far away.
PV Intro 1
There are many reasons to use photovoltaic technology to meet energy needs. The technology is scalable from very small (watches) to very large (utility scale plants covering square miles), allowing unique needs to be met and improving the environment when compared to conventional sources of energy. There are many benefits from financial to environmental, see our article on Environmental Benefits of Renewable Energy.
 
A good introduction to residential PV systems is our article Path to Solar.  It covers a wide range of PV implementation information.  See also: Should you install solar on your home? 10 key considerationsConsiderations in sizing a PV system in Arizona and Questions to Ask before Purchasing a Solar System.
Educational & Commercial PV Systems
(coming soon)
 
Some Historical information
Over the decades there have news articles on improved technologies for producing solar cells.  Most of these, even if backed by a major technology company, have not made it in the marketplace.  Here is an example: False Technology Start- Spheral Solar Power plant in Canada
 
 
Some nice to know information
(more coming soon)
 
 
More Technical Information
 
For a more technical introduction to small utility connected PV systems, the interactive PV-Explore presentation presents some details.  This is slightly dated (2012 state of the art), but describes some of the components.  At present it is not integrated with the rest of this website, use your back arrow to return to this page. PV-Explore- Understanding and Troubleshooting Grid Connected PV systems.
 
There is a good general technical article on Engineering.com that is worth a review: Challenges of Making Solar Energy Economical
 
How long do rooftop residential solar panels last? See this article at pv magazine
 
Batteries and PV Systems
Government & Legal Information
 
 

 

 

For more information, follow the topics below.

Some interesting uses of PV:

References:

1.      National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). 2012. Renewable Electricity Futures Study. Volume 1, pg. 210.

2      Machol, Rizk. 2013. Economic value of U.S. fossil fuel electricity health impacts. Environment International 52 75–80.

3      Environmental Protection Agency. 2010. Assessing the Multiple Benefits of Clean Energy: A Resource for States. Chapter 5.

In Hot Water - Experiences of Solar Hot Water in Arizona

Summary of Presentation given at the World Renewable Energy Forum (WREF)/ASES Conference in Denver, CO in  May 2012
(Full presentation is available for download below.)

During a utility (APS and SRP) funded 2010 Pilot Study to assess SDHW installations for assuring compliance for RECs, it was determined that there was an extremely high rate of failure in meeting basic national guidelines (SRCC), and now with over thousands of audits executed since the Pilot study, there is critical information that needs to be shared with the various solar arenas in Arizona - utilities; governmental code and inspections departments; State licensing agencies; the solar equipment industry; and the design and construction industry; as well as outside Arizona - the nationally growing trade education element; utilities; state and local governmental agencies; and trade organizations in other states.

With the implementation of permanent programs by both Salt River Project (SRP) and Arizona Public Service (APS), the AzSC, acting as a 3rd party neutral resource, has executed over 3000 audits. The findings of this effort are significant, not only for Arizona but also for the larger community - nationally and possibly internationally - for both the solar industry and for the consumer.

The Forum established by the AzSC is intended to share Arizona's experience in various contexts with participation of Daniel Peter Aiello and Geoff Sutton of the AzSC, and Joel Dickinson of Salt River Project. The presentation describes lessons learned, and significant issues discovered that impact the ongoing viability of this technology for government, industry, and the consumer.

The presentation comes from different contexts:

  • The utility experience and viewpoint of lessons learned, issues discovered, and actions taken (and planned) within the context of meeting utility incentives programs requirements.
  • Lessons learned in the trenches, and issues found in the quality of work and industry practice.
  • Conditions and issues involved with the numerous "players" in this arena including the utilities, and those outside the utility context - Registrar of Contractors (ROC), solar equipment organizations and trade associations, building departments and the inspections systems, and the design/construction community.

Full presentation available for download here (7.97 MB PDF).