This article is a part of a series of articles published in our later journal, you can find the others through:
https://app.wedonthavetime.org/posts/078d27ff-5666-46fc-8490-25c5594ecdd8
https://app.wedonthavetime.org/posts/cd022ec8-714b-43a8-88c6-db38d813de6f
https://app.wedonthavetime.org/posts/b06b17ec-5cee-40ee-b7dd-e2a02a318430
For more information check out our website: www.climsci.in, or write to us at, contact@climsci.in if you are interested in joining a diverse team working on a big problem!
The Advances in Solar Energy
Solar energy is one of the most promising sources of renewable energy that has gained quite a lot of attention recently. The increasing demand for clean and sustainable energy as well as the switch over to renewable energy has fuelled the development of new technologies and innovations in the field of solar energy. The use of solar energy has not only helped us reduce our dependence on non-renewable sources of energy, but has also contributed significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, which play a big role in the increasing rates of global warming. This research paper will discuss the recent advances in solar energy and its evolution as well as its impact on the global energy industry.
To understand solar energy, we must first know its history and how it has evolved. In the United States alone, there are currently more than 37,000 megawatts (MW) of utility-scale solar projects operating, with another 112,000 MW under development. Today there are more than 2.9 million individual solar installations in the US and 103 gigawatts (GW) of solar installed, which is enough to power 18.6 million homes. So what makes Solar Energy so important and talked about? To understand that we must first define solar energy.
Solar energy is a form of renewable energy that is obtained from the sun’s rays (radiant light and heat). It is harnessed through the use of solar panels, which are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells that convert the sun's energy into electrical energy. This electrical energy can then be used to power homes, businesses, hospitals and many other facilities.
To get into more detail, solar panels are usually made from silicon installed in a metal panel frame with a glass casing. When photons or particles of light (sunlight) hits the thin layer of silicon on top of a solar panel, they knock electrons off the silicon atoms. A charge is created, and this PV charge creates an electric current (Direct current or DC) which is then captured by the wiring in the solar panels.
The DC electricity is then converted into AC electricity (Alternating current) by an inverter. This electricity is now ready to use. The conversion from DC electricity to AC electricity happens as AC is the type of electrical current that is used when you plug appliances into normal wall sockets. AC is also the most widely used type of current as it is more efficient and is used in almost all households.
The basic idea of Solar energy can be dated back to the 7th Century B.C. when humans use sunlight to light fires with magnifying glass materials. In the 3rd Century B.C., the Greeks and Romans were known to harness solar power with mirrors to light torches for religious ceremonies. In the late 1700s and 1800s, sunlight was used to power ovens for long voyages and harnessed to produce solar-powered steamboats.
Solar power has had a lot of improvements over the past decade, such as perovskite-based cells which were invented in 2009 but only got implemented recently. Some of the advancements in solar technology are minimal but have increased efficiency quite a lot.
The efficiency of solar cells has accelerated at a staggering rate over the last decade. Solar efficiency is measured by the amount of sunlight (irradiation) that falls on the surface of the solar panel and the amount ready for energy conversion. With advances in photovoltaic technology, the average conversion efficiency has increased from 15% to 20%, however, solar power has its drawbacks. A very specific one that many scientists, researchers and even common folk pointed out. How would solar panels or solar farms generate electricity if the sun wasn’t facing its direction or if it was nighttime?
However, solutions to this were invented soon enough. Solar tracking systems, which were designed to tilt and position the panels towards the sun, to absorb maximum sunlight first came around in the late 80s. However, it was in its prototype and raw stage. Today, sun-tracking solar panel systems with a single axis have increased in performance from 25% to 35% and continue to increase.
In May 2016, Enel Green Power North America created a solar power plant that had the ability to produce electricity at night by storing energy collected from the sun during the day and storing it into a battery system to be used at night. However, further improvements could still be made. Stanford university researchers created solar panels that could generate electricity at night through thermoelectric generators. The thermoelectric generator molecules (TEGs), convert temperature differences into electrical energy. Nighttime energy conversion produces about 25% of the wattage a full day of sunlight does. Researchers then proved that the electricity generated was enough to power a cellphone.
The latest and most innovative breakthrough in solar power was the use of perovskite crystals and cells over silicon. Perovskite crystals were 20% more efficient than silicon-based solar cells. While silicon still outperformed perovskite-based cells in terms of commercial use. In June 2022, researchers at Princeton University developed the first commercially viable perovskite solar cells, which can be manufactured at room temperature and even require less energy to produce than silicon-based solar cells.
The cheaper production cost and improved sustainability applied to a larger scale with a 30-year life expectancy is certainly good news for the energy industry. Perovskite cells are also more flexible and can be transparent as well which opens up many possibilities for its application.
By- Mohammed Emaad
