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Do It Yourself Solar Power Panels Intelligence |
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Written by Jeff Sears
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Friday, 11 September 2009 14:41 |
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How do you compare different solar panels? You measure the wattage power per panel. number of Watts Output when it is illuminated under standard conditions of 1000 Watts/meter2 intensity, 25C ambient temperature and a spectrum that relates to sunlight that has passed through the atmosphere.
by JeffSears
How do you compare different solar panels? You measure the wattage power per panel. number of Watts Output when it is illuminated under standard conditions of 1000 Watts/meter2 intensity, 25C ambient temperature and a spectrum that relates to sunlight that has passed through the atmosphere.
Solar prices are falling fast, especially with thin-film technology. From early $27 per Watt Peak (Wp) prices to an expected $1 in the near future. At $1 Wp, grid parity will have been achieved in Photovoltaics (PV) and will be able to compete with the prevailing price of electricity.
Solar panels that cost less than $1 per watt to produce are on their way, as Colorado State University's new method for low-cost, high-efficiency solar panels looks set to begin mass production. They will be sold for about $2 per watt to the public, about half the cost of current solar panels. The cost reduction comes from a new, continuous manufacturing process which uses cadmium telluride thin film rather than the more expensive crystalline silicon.
CdTe (Cadmium Telluride) permits a low cost production process. Automated high put though production processes have been employed successfully eliminating the need for expensive clean rooms or other specialty equipment.
Thin Firm CdTe (Cadmium Telluride) semiconductor material also converts low and diffuse light to electricity more efficiently than conventional cells under cloudy weather and dawn and dusk conditions. As a result, Thin Firm CdTe (Cadmium Telluride) modules will generally produce more electricity under real world conditions than conventional solar modules with similar power ratings.
Thin-film solar technologies often use non-silicon semiconductor materials including copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) to create photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into electricity. Without the expensive and often sparse silicon, the cells are cheaper in terms of materials costs. The non-silicon materials can also be printed on flexible or light substances, which can create new applications for solar. Many companies are using thin-film technology to produce low-cost solar panels. The cost reduction comes from a new, continuous manufacturing process which uses cadmium telluride thin film rather than the more expensive crystalline silicon. Non-silicon semiconductor materials including copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) used to create photovoltaic cells.
What really matters is the total kilowatt-hours a panel produces. Then calculate the average solar wattage produced per dollar spent. Chances are, when you are reach $0.15/kWh or better, you are competitive with your electric company.
Two 80W panels in series gives you 160 W. You still have the same *current* as you get from one panel, but twice the voltage. There are inverters, battery banks and cabling costs to consider. Most families use between 4 and can run up to 20 Kwh per day for heavy users. A 1000w system would produce about 4 Kwh per day. Build your own solar panel with a do it yourself kit and discover this energy saving technology.
About the Author:
Create your unique do it yourself solar power system. Home solar systems can form a vital part of any home emergency survival kit. Solar power kits may help in life saving emergencies, natural catastrophe, or any other emergency where you could be cut off from the power grids but you have an electrical need |
