Solar Energy is a clean, renewable form of energy that doesn`t produce greenhouse gases or pollutants. It`s also a rapidly growing industry.

Solar power can be used to power not only homes but also cars and trains, as well as space stations. Solar power can even be used to power planes.

Solar Panels

Solar panels are one of the most common ways to generate solar energy. These panels can be used to power large-scale industrial and utility roofs, as well as homes.

These cells are made up of small photovoltaic (PV), cells that convert sunlight into electricity by using semi-conductive materials such as silicon. These cells are connected in series, and multiple panels (modules) can be wired together to form a solar array, or “farm.”

The sun`s rays knock electrons from PV cells. These electrons flow through the cell, and are captured by conductors attached on the positive and the negative sides.

When a PV cell is surrounded by an inverter, the DC (direct current) electricity generated by the solar panel is changed into usable AC electricity that can be used to power a light bulb or other devices. An inverter also prevents the panel from overproducing, as can happen if the cell is covered with dust or other debris.

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Concentrated Solar Power (CSP).

Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a type of renewable energy technology that uses mirrors to concentrate sunlight and convert it into heat. The thermal energy can then be used to generate electricity.

CSP is a very versatile renewable energy source, and it can be combined with other power sources to create hybrid systems. These hybrid plants can generate electricity and provide industrial process heating or cooling.

In some cases, CSP plants also use thermal energy storage devices to store energy for later use. This allows the system`s operation even when it isn’t sunny.

While CSP can be very efficient, it still has some challenges to overcome. Molten salt, for example, is expensive and difficult to work with. It can also decompose if the temperature gets too high.

Photovoltaics

Photovoltaics (PV) are materials and devices that use solar energy to directly convert light into electricity. Semiconducting semiconductors are PV materials that show the photovoltaic effects, which allows sunlight to be used to generate electric current.

Photovoltaic effects occur when certain materials absorb or reflect photons (or particles of light). These photons excite electrons within the material and cause them to `come loose` from their atoms.

Once the electrons are free, they move to the front surface of the material and `combine` with the electrons in the back surface, forming an electrical charge potential that is similar to that found in a battery.

This voltage potential is the source of electricity that can be stored and regenerated, or exported to the power grid, for use elsewhere. The production of electricity varies seasonally and by day, but it`s important to remember that most cells produce their highest power output when they are facing the sun.

Solar Thermal

The sun`s heat is used to produce electricity using solar thermal energy. It`s different from photovoltaic (PV) solar power, which converts a portion of the sun`s electromagnetic radiation directly to electrons and electricity.

PV solar cells use semiconductors to absorb sunlight and knock loose electrons, which flow through an electrical field, generating electricity. Some PV cells have a metal contact which directs the current to an object such as an electric generator or battery.

Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants use mirrors to reflect and concentrate the sun`s thermal energy onto receivers that collect it for use in a power plant. A CSP tower is made up of thousands of sun-tracking mirrors called Heliostats that focus concentrated sunlight onto a receiver mounted on top.

Concentrated sunlight heats the molten salt to high temperatures. This steam is then pumped to a steam turbine that generates electricity. This is how large solar thermal power plants produce electricity.