Dramatic Breakthroughs in Solar Energy
Recently, there have been advances in solar energy that will help further the public use of photovoltaic (PV) solar reconciliation at a cost parity with fossil fuels as a viable source of energy to power the door. A key development that will allow the widespread use of solar energy is the production of cells using cheaper and readily available materials. Silicon has always been the preferred PV material, but cadmium telluride, copper and selenium (including materials) is now also used to produce solar cells. These materials are used to produce cells highly cost effective, easy.
Nano solar cells lead, more efficient units more compact, thinner site. nano technology in PV with 4.7 (or more) the effectiveness of standard photovoltaic cells are in the current phase of R & D, with limited commercial availability. There nano and alternative photovoltaic cell material with a significantly higher performance than the standard (two to three times the standard efficiency 12-15%) in use today. Solar panels are produced now could improve exponentially with the development, improvement and application of nanotechnology.
In addition to advances in traditional photovoltaic technology, there has been an exponential progress in the field of solar thermal energy. Instead of simply convert the sun’s energy into electricity with solar thermal technology, solar hot water, molten salts or other working fluid and the steam is used to power generators. Solar thermal is a breakthrough in solar energy with 4-5 times the density of photovoltaics. However, reducing the cost of this technology has been difficult to achieve, preventing really take off.
A commercially successful application of solar energy is the solar water heater. Motorized solar water heaters are mandatory in new buildings throughout the land of Israel, and now in the state of Hawaii. Other applications include solar electricity and even heating in buildings in the distance, in industrial buildings, schools, hospitals, etc …
The two types of solar (photovoltaic and thermal solar) is steadily reducing its cost as technological advances are made. However, solar thermal energy must stay in front in terms of costs of production and use. Solar thermal will have a couple of advantages that offset the higher cost. Solar thermal energy occurs regularly throughout the day, do not have the time. The gas turbine if there is no sun for an extended period of time. If you need to learn about modern gas turbines, you can get more info at AJSS.com.au. Solar thermal units are easily integrated with energy storage systems and continue to produce power at night, using the energy obtained during the day.
The most promising new technologies in the world of solar energy are CSP and HCPV. CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) and HCPV (high concentration photovoltaic) are technologies that use a wide range of lenses and mirrors (heliostats) to focus sunlight on PV. It is also used in a similar application, to concentrate sunlight on PV and / or a working fluid (such as water, molten salt, or synthetic oil) are flat solar collector and photovoltaic. Plates and valleys look very promising for the future of renewable energy.
Solar thermal power plants produce first to focus sunlight on a concentrated solar cells arranged as installation over a tower group. Furthermore, the floor and holes used in an application of CSP concentrate sunlight on PV group, or a working fluid, or both, in the vicinity of the source. CSP plants as the first light is focused on photovoltaic cells, and then use this heat energy collected a working fluid. Then, this high-temperature fluid is used to drive a turbine or to power a motor that drives a generator. Great examples of CSP plants are in Spain, Italy, Australia and Mexico, and the United States of America California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada, to name a few places for this emerging technology.