TABLE OF CONTENTS Solar, or photovoltaic (PV), cells are electronic devices that essentially convert the solar energy of sunlight into electric energy or electricity. The physics of solar cells is based on the same semiconductor principles as diodes and transistors, which form the building blocks of the entire world of electronics.
Solar cells convert energy as long as there is sunlight. In the evenings and during cloudy conditions, the conversion process diminishes. It stops completely at dusk and resumes at dawn. Solar cells do not store electricity, but batteries can be used to store the energy.
One of the most fascinating aspects of solar cells is their ability to convert the most abundant and free form of energy into electricity, without moving parts or components and without producing any adverse forms of pollution that affect the ecology, as is associated with most known forms of nonrenewable energy production methods, such as fossil fuel, hydroelectric, or nuclear energy plants.
In this chapter we will review the overall solar energy conversion process, system configurations, and the economics associated with the technology. We will also briefly look into the mechanism of hydrogen fuel cells.
In Chapter 2 of this book we will review the fundamentals of solar power cogeneration design and explore a number of applications including an actual design of a 500-kilowatt (kW) solar power installation project, which also includes a detailed analysis of all system design parameters.
In the later part of the century, physicists discovered...
