Solar+&+Battery+Power

Anthony Carusone TEM 194 Spring 2012 Solar & Battery Power Technology Solar Technology Overview By capturing photons from sunlight in a semiconducting material usually silicon, electrons are knocked loose from their atoms allowing them to flow through the device producing electricity. Lastly an array of these cells converts the solar energy into usable DC electricity Silicon Panels -1954 Photovoltaic technology born by Bell Labs -First solar panel achieved 4% efficiency -Max efficiency 29% -Silicon Panels are the most common solar technology used today Interviews from Industry Leaders **Dr. Danny Peterson**
 * Polytechnic Campus Professor**
 * Environmental Management**
 * Basically all energy we have in the world comes from the fossil fuels. Solar energy is entrapped is entrapped in earthly elements that hold bonds together Solar energy in its most pure form used to generate electricity produce very low amounts of pollution!
 * Most important primary area of application use is energy for homes, business, and production of energy.
 * In future solar energy will be important for emergency preparedness
 * Biggest threat in future is impact of global warming and changing weather patterns.
 * One way too arrest that is to develop a cleaner source of solar energy.
 * Advice given to student seeking this career choice:
 * "Learn as much science as possible before you embark and have a true concern about the environment an intrinsic motive to help environment is needed not extrinsic motivator for money."

** Rick Tometitch Industry Leader **
 * Owner & CEO of Constant Power Technologies **
 * Batteries connected to a solar system provide recharge to batteries so that on a cloudy day or during the evening the stored energy may be used.
 * Battery is designed for 3 to 5 day reserved power depending on size of battery.
 * Battery works on direct current or DC then an inverter turns it into alternating current or AC and makes it useful for consumers.
 * Trends: Lithium ion technology is being developed as a cheaper, lighter and more efficient means to store energy in batteries. A batteries capacity has to deal with the weight of the components within the battery. The lithium ion electrolyte solution benefit is that it lowers the weight to store more capacity. The major problems with lithium ion batteries are that the lithium ion needed for production is a natural element and is in limited reserve. The technology would only exist for about 20 years.
 * The lead acid battery business has to deal with challenges regarding environmental controls because of the lead and end of life of battery. When the battery can no longer hold any capacity it must be properly disposed through a reclamation yard or smelter.
 * Lead acid battery storage energy devices deal with safety issues; safe handling and disposal are a top priority. Batteries are bulky, hard to handle, and heavy nearly 500 lbs training on how to move them is crucial.
 * Advice given to student seeking this career choice
 * "Solar needs a brand new innovative change if you want to gain a competitive advantage."

How Much Land Do We Need to Produce Energy for the Entire US with Solar Panels? If the U.S. energy consumption is 140 x 10 18 J per year, how much area would be required to produce this energy by silicon photocells that operate at 18% efficiency if the average solar insolation is 270 watt/m 2 ? Compare that to the size of the state of Arizona. __ Silicon Photocell Energy Production: __ 270 watt/m 2 * 1 J/sec/watt = 270 J/m 2 /sec * 86400 sec / 1 day * 365 day / yr = 8.51*10 9 J/m 2 /yr à 8.51*10 9 J/m 2 /yr * 0.18 = 1.53*10 9 J/m 2 /yr __ Space Needed: __ (140*10 18 J/yr) / (1.53*10 9 J/m 2 /yr) = Need 9.15*10 10 m 2 of land Arizona is 295,254 km 2 * 10 6 m 2 /km 2 = 2.95*10 11 m 2 9.15*10 10 m 2 / 2.95*10 11 m 2 .310 * 100  31.0% of Arizona ** So we would need a field approximately 31% of the size of Arizona full of silicon photocells operating at 18% efficiency to generate energy for the entire United States in for one year. ** Putting Power onto the Grid

Throughout the valley, the electrical companies provide an incentive for you if you decided to add on solar panels to help reduce the strain on the grid. To estimate the cost of a solar power system for your home:  1. Find your daily utility usage by dividing the kilowatt-hours (kWh) used on an average month’s utility bill by 30. 2. Divide that number by 5 (the average number of peak sun hours in the U.S.) and multiply by 1.43 to account for system losses. -This is the size of the solar system, in kilowatts, that you will need to take care of 100% of your electrical needs. 3. Multiply that number by $9,000 ($9/watt installed) for a good ballpark estimate of the gross installed cost. ** Average a house that is 1600-2000 square feet and having electric appliances except for the furnace use an average of 1500Kwatt-hours per month **

Environmental Impact

Production Of Solar Panels  End Of Life
 * Production of solar panels c reates green house gasses, hazardous materials and heavy metal emissions sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and lead, associated with solar panels are due primarily to raw material extraction of Fosil Fuels (diesel) and energy consumption.
 *  Life Span is 30 Years.
 *  Technology for Recycling for Solar Panels in not available yet.
 *  European Photovoltaic Industry Association and PV Cycle say it will take one-third of the power to make a solar panel for recycled material verse new materials.

Over a Solar Panels Life
 *  Over their lifetime, crystalline silicon solar panels generate 9 - 17 times the energy required to produce them.
 *  Depending on the type of PV technology, the clean energy payback of a PV system ranges from one to four years.
 * 100% of solar electricity is produced emissions free. Factoring in the emissions due to production of the solar panels, 87 - 97% of the energy produced by PV systems will be free of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
 *  Replacing electrical power from the national grid mix with electricity generated by solar panels results in an 89% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants.
 *  Based on the national energy grid mix, producing 1,000 kWh of solar electricity reduces emissions by nearly 8 pounds of sulfur dioxide, 5 pounds of nitrogen oxides, and more than 1,400 pounds of carbon dioxide.
 *  Using the existing transmission and distribution grid system eliminates the need for power storage devices.

References NREL compilation of best research solar cell efficiencies. Date 21 September 2010.The Physics of Solar Cells [|www.scribd.com/doc/19736859/][|The-Physics-of-Solar][|-][|Cells][|http][|://][|www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=AZ19F&re=1&ee=1][|http://][|www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=US43F&re=1&ee=1] "Solar Panel Life Cycle." Making Sustainability Work 65 Centennial Loo P, Suite B, EugEne, OR 97401 P: 541. 341. 4663 F: 541.341.6412 Www.gooDcompany .com Life-Cycle Environmental Performance of Silicon Solar Panels. Good Company, Aug. 2008. Web. 25 Mar. 2011. < [] >.Parkinson, Johnathon. "The Not-So-Sunny Side of Solar Panels - Voiceofsandiego.org: Science." Voiceofsandiego.org: News. Investigation. Analysis. Conversation. Intelligence. Voice Of Sandiego, 16 Feb. 2009. Web. 01 Apr. 2011. < [] >.Photostream. "The Valley of the Sun | Flickr - Photo Sharing!" Welcome to Flickr - Photo Sharing. 24 May 2006. Web. 01 Apr. 2011. < [] >. __ [|http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_electricity_does_an_average_2-story_3-bedroom_house_use_per_day_per_month_or_per_year#ixzz1IDygRLJe] ____ [|http] ____ [|://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/electricity/index.cfm/mytopic=10720] ____ ____ [|http://] ____ [|life.gaiam.com/article/whats-it-going-cost-me-go-solar] __