1 Technology Context B101 Q2

2 S OLAR P ANELS AND THE B ENEFITS Sunsei SE W Solar Panelto

W HAT I S S OLAR E NERGY ? Solar Energy Is Energy from the sun that has been converted into thermal or electrical energy which can be used for many appliances 3

S OLAR P ANELS B ASIC D ESIGN 4

T HE P ROCESS IN WHICH THE ENERGY IS COLLECTED 1 st the solar radiation is collected by the solar panels which is called the photovoltaic effect After the solar radiation is collected the energy is converted and stored within the battery The energy which has been collected and stored within the battery is direct current (DC) which can be converted by using a inverter Once the direct current has been converted it can be used for many appliances within the home such as heating water to turning on a light. 5

P HOTOVOLTAIC C ELLS Photovoltaic systems convert light energy into electricity. The term "photo" is a stem from the Greek "phos," which means "light." "Volt" is named for Alessandro Volta ( ), a pioneer in the study of electricity. "Photo-voltaics," then, could literally mean "light-electricity." Most commonly known as "solar cells," PV systems are already an important part of our lives. The simplest systems power many of the small calculators and wrist watches we use every day. 6

B ENEFITS OF SOLAR ENERGY 1. Solar energy is renewable. We never have to worry about running out of sunlight or using it all up. The sun is a consistent power source meaning it's always going to be there every day. 2. Solar energy is environmentally friendly. Compared to fossil fuels which release greenhouses gases, carcinogens and carbon dioxide, solar cells don't release anything into the air. 3. Solar panels are extremely reliable. There are no moving parts so you don't have to worry about replacing anything. In fact, most people generate electricity for 1000s of hours with little or no maintenance. 4. Solar cells make no noise while collecting energy. There are no other renewable energy sources that are completely silent. 5. In the long run, solar electricity is cheaper than buying it from the power company. There is a start up cost, but then it starts paying for itself. Once you break even, everything after that is profit. Compare this to paying a monthly bill and getting no return on investment. 7

M ORE B ENEFITS 6. There is a huge variety of solar panel systems available. Some can cost tens of thousands of pounds, and some cost just a couple hundred. 7. You're not required to connect to the power grid. You can be completely self-sufficient and live off-the-grid. 8. Sell excess electricity. If you build a large enough solar panel system, you can make your electric meter spin backwards! Most power companies will gladly buy or credit you for this excess electricity. 9. Government tax credits. Most governments will provide some kind of tax credit or incentive for people purchasing solar energy systems. On average, rebates usually cover 20-30% of the system cost. 8

S UNSEI SE W S OLAR P ANELTO The Sunsei SE W Solar Panelto is a small solar panel which can be implemented into other products such as home appliances This will be done by implementing it into the house’s electrical grid Once connected it can be used to run electrical goods within the house itself such as heating water to running a light 9

S ALES R EVENUE The Graph Shows: A steady increase in installations between years which means only a small increase in sales However between years installations increase at a rapid rate which would mean that sales would increase Estimations for 2009 and 2010 are expected to be extremely high meaning sales revenue will be high 10

D ISADVANTAGES O F S OLAR P ANELS An increase in the demand for solar panels can cause disadvantages: 1- The increase in demand for solar panels can cause decreases in other environmentally friendly products which can lead to bankruptcy for other companies 2- The increase in demand has caused an increase in supply of the solar panels which could lead to an over supply causing high costs and high wastage 11

R EFERENCES photovoltaic-market-growth-through-2010http:// photovoltaic-market-growth-through Energy&id= http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Benefits-of-Solar- Energy&id=