Transcript Photovoltaic Cells - The College at Brockport: State

Photovoltaic Cells
By: Charity Henderson & Laura Metzler
What are Photovoltaics?
Sunlight = Energy
 Absorb solar energy from the sun
 Transforms the energy into electricity
What Are Photovoltaics
Continued
(Rochester Solar)
 Flat Silicon Containing Panels
 Three Types
Poly-Crystalline
Multiple silicon crystals
Micro-crystalline
Thin film Panel
Single large silicon crystal
several microns thick
used for shingles
Can be Mounted on Roof, Pole, Or Ground
Why Use
Photovoltaics?
(Rochester Solar)
 Renewable Energy
 Uses only the sun’s
energy
 2kW system prevents 3,843 lbs
of CO2 pollution by in one year
Why Continued…
 An average 2 kW system can reduce
electricity consumption in an average
house by 30%( Nyserda)
 In Energy Star homes it can be as much as 50%(
Lessord)
 Use of a 2 kW system can reduce energy
costs by $32 a month (Nyserda)
 New York State offers tax credits and
incentives that can reduce cost by 50%
How do Photovoltaics Work?
 Consists of 2 sheets of
differently coated silicon
 Creates an electrical
field in the junction
between the sheets
 Upper sheet absorbs
photons of light,
releasing electrons from
the silicon (New
Zealand PV)
How Continued…
 Through contact with the
electrical field in the
junction, the electrons reach
the bottom layer of silicon
and return to the top layer
 The action creates electric
current, which is conducted
by the metallic contact finger
(U of R)
How Continued…
 Because the current produced is direct current (DC),
and most homes and businesses run on alternation
current (AC), a typical PV system also includes a
device called an inverter to change the power to a
useable form.( New Zealand PV)
Batteries also used to
store power not
immediately being
used.
 PV energy can be
sold back to a utility
company, causing the
meter to “run
backwards”
Where is PV used?
Three Largest Markets (94% of growth)


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Germany

137% annual growth rate
Japan
 22% annual growth rate
(maintained)
United States

25% annual growth rate
(IEA PV)
Also Used in: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, France,
Israel, Italy, Republic of Korea, Mexico, The Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Who is using PV power?
 Homes
 Businesses
 Colleges
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
Rochester Solar Technologies
HSBC Bank
Westchester Community College
SUNY Brockport??
Conclusion
 Photovoltaic Solar Cell technology is a viable
source of renewable energy.
 It has already been implemented in homes and
businesses of many countries.
 The market for PV is growing annually because
they are a practical energy alternative.
 This is a technology that every homeowner can
look into; information is abundant and local.
Works Cited
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IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Program. Trends in Photovoltaic
Applications. Available at: http://www.iea-pvps.org/isr/index.htm
University of Rochester. What Are Photovoltaics?. Available at:
http://www.history.rochester.edu/class/PV/whatspv.html
Lessord, Kara, of Rochester Solar Technologies. (Spoken material)
New Zealand Photovoltaics. Frequently Asked Questions About
Photovoltaics. Available at: http://www.photovoltaics.org.nz/faq.html
http://www.nypa.gov/press/2006/061227a.htm
Rochester Solar Technologies. Solar Education. Available at
:http://www.rochsolartech.com
Solar Electric Energy Pamphlet. NYSERDA.