Photo Courtesy of Tom Ferguson

5.8 kW Array: 4 Rows of 7 Panels Photo Courtesy of Tom Ferguson

Each Panel: 208 Watts, 29 Volts, 7.25 Amps Photo Courtesy of Tom Ferguson

5 kW Sunny Boy Inverter Solar Array produces Direct Current Inverter chops the DC up and creates Alternating Current Inverter synchronizes the AC with the building power system Photo Courtesy of Tom Ferguson

Weather Station at Malosky Weather Station Funded by:

Website In Development to Publish Data

LIGHT EMITTING DIODE Diode Doped to Emit Photons as Electrons Cross the Diode Junction

Physical Description Silicon is doped(impurities added) to establish Donors and Acceptors Donors and Acceptors combine in Depletion Region

LED: Electric Current Creates Light Diode Junction is Voltage Dependent

Reversible: Light Creates Electricity Image Courtesy of Brandon Eberle, ECE Student Researcher

Future Work at Malosky

Concentrated PhotoVoltaics (CPV) A Manufacturer has developed a mirrored plastic film with a very high incidence of optical reflectivity. Cost is projected to be about 10% that of a Solar Panel So, the surface area exposed to sunlight could be doubled or quadrupled for 10% to 20% increase in cost More Sun = More Electricity

Drawbacks: Concentrating Sunlight also means Concentrating Heat (Infrared Radiation) Solar Panels are less efficient at higher operating temperatures Possible to “tune” the mirrored film to reflect less of the Infrared Wavelengths?

Research Questions: Are CPV systems suited to Northern Latitude locations? How much concentration (2X, 4X or more?) is the best fit for Duluth climate? What is the optimal concentraion, balanced against the rise in temperature? What is the optimal spectral reflectivity of the mirrored film?

3M/UMD/Minnesota Power Research Group Pursuing Federal and State Funding to answer those questions Should know in a few months