When we think of solar energy by 2024, the first thing that comes to mind is the smart systems that feed many houses and provide clean energy with the help of solar panels. But the use of the energy of the Sun to feed and support the lives of subsistence centuries ago.
To better understand the invention of this device and explore ways of taking the correct choice for your needs, we will go into solar panels‘ History.
Background of solar panel: solar energy over centuries
We go through a brief history of solar energy. The earliest cases of use of solar energy by humans were documented until the 7th century BC, people used sunlight to light fires with older magnifying glass. The first uses of the Sun focus mainly on using their energy as a heat source. For example, in the ancient Egyptian civilizations, buildings were designed to maximize the entrance and light heat.
Later, in the third century BC, the Greeks and the Romans supposedly took advantage of solar energy with mirrors in light torches for religious ceremonies. These mirrors became tools called “burning mirrors” and were used for various rituals relevant to those times. On 20 AD, Chinese civilization used these mirrors for the same tasks.
Another early use of solar energy, still popular today, was the concept of “sun salty” in buildings. These rooms used large windows to focus the sunlight in an area. Some Roman baths, often located on the south side of the buildings, were sun birds. Later, in the DC of the years 1200, the Anasazi, the ancestors of the native American natives of the villages, built south-facing houses on cliffs to capture the heat of the sun during the cold winter months.
Then, in 1700-1800, researchers used sunlight to feed long trips and to run solar steam vessels. It is clear that even thousands of years ago, relying on the power of the sun was a common practice.
Invention of the solar panel
So how did the solar plates become?
The development of this technology was a gradual process, and the people still debate about the exact timeline and who should be accredited by the invention. Some attribute the creation of the solar cell to the French scientist Edmond Becquerel. In 1839, while experimenting with metal electrodes and electrolyte solutions, Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect, where exposure to light creates an electric current on a material. This discovery showed that sunlight could be converted into electrical energy and influenced later PV developments.
In 1873, Willoughby Smith discovered the selenium photoonductor potential. This caused William Grylls Adams and Richard Evans Day to discover that Selenium generates electricity when exposed to sunlight in 1876. In 1883, the North -American inventor Charles Frits designed and installed the first solar matrix of the The roof of the world on a roof of New York City. Using selenium wafer to generate electric current, this prototype achieved approximately 1% efficiency. However, he demonstrated the practical potential of solar energy and gained recognition of the rows of some historians as the true inventor of solar cells.
A key breakthrough took place in 1905 when Albert Einstein published an article on the photoelectric effect, for which he later won the Nobel Prize in Physics. Einstein’s work explained that light consists of energy packages called photons, improving the understanding of the photovoltaic effect.
However, modern solar cells are made of silicon, not selenium. Thus, many attribute the true invention to Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller and Gerald Pearson, who created the Silicon Photovoltaic cell (PV) in Bell Labs in 1954. This was the first instance where solar technology pushed an electric device For several hours a day.
The solar industry continued to grow during the 1990’s, and since the 2000’s, solar energy began to be accessible to everyone.
Type of solar panels
Folding solar panels of Canyon.
Choosing the right choice for your home can be unnecessarily complex, especially if you are new in this type of technology. In addition, it is a fairly large investment.
We have done some research on the best device options for modern homes and we want to help you make an informed decision for your home. We explore the types of solar settings in the current market.
To begin with, there are three main types of solar panels: monocrystalline, polycrystalline and fine filma. Monocrystalline and polycrystalline devices are commonly used for household installations, while Fine movie options are often used for smaller projects, such as feeding an RV or SHED .
Monocrystalline
Monocrystalline are generally the most expensive solar panel type. The average cost of these is between $ 1 and 1.50 per Watt, but the prices differ depending on the location. Its high price comes from the fact that these solar cells are manufactured from a single crystal, using the Czochralski process, which also results in a bit of wasted silicon. But this wasted silicon can be repopulated to make polycrystalline solar cells.
The advantages and cons of the monocristan panels are his high efficiency and performance and Higher costsAs a result. They can reach 22% efficiency and provide more than 300 watts of power capacity, with many greater than 400 W. Both monocrystalline and polycrystalline options usually reach silicon cell options 60, 72 and 96. In this case, his life is more than 25 years. They are the most common type of device for residential systems because they are perfect for roofs with limited space and offer maximum efficiency.
There are several types of monocrystalline devices and each type has unique advantages and varies with cost, efficiency and application, and some are more suitable for land mounted systems. Here are:
- The roof tiles: they are expensive, but they have the best aesthetics and maximize the filling factor.
- Interdigity contact: They are resistant, they have no visible bus bars on the front and they are very efficient.
- Passive emitter and posterior contact (Perc): These cells are modified to produce 6% and 12% more energy than conventional solar panels.
- BIFACIAL: These can capture sunlight from both the front and back, which makes them popular for the ground mounted systems.
Polycrystalline
Polycrhenian solar panels are the cheapest. They cost between 90 cents and $ 1 per Watt. Its cells are made of silicon fragments instead of a single pure silicon crystal. Therefore, the cell manufacturing process is simpler and cheaper for manufacturers and owners who install the device.
The advantages and cons of the polycrystalline are lower costsonly lower efficiency and performance. Compared to Monocrystaline, it is difficult for this option to maintain high efficiency when it is hot.
Thin film
Fine film solar panels have a lower efficiency of about 11%. They cost $ 1 to $ 1.50 per Watt, and also have a shorter lifetime, 10 to 20 years old, which rarely used them for residential purposes. This is the most popular option when installing a portable or DIY solar system, as on an RV or a boat. The fine film option is also used for commercial ceilings that cannot support the additional weight of traditional solar equipment.
They also do not have uniform sizes: the power capacity of the device may vary depending on the physical size. Square power capacity of monocrystalline or polycrystalline devices exceeds that of fine film.
The advantages and cons of the fine movie are lower costsbut also lower efficiency and performance. Generally, installing fine film solar panels is usually less expensive because they are lighter and easier to handle, which simplifies the installation process. As a result, work costs are generally lower.
How to choose the suitable solar panel for you
When it comes to selecting a solar settings for residential installation, we recommend being very clear about your current needs and capabilities.
Of course, opting for a more expensive and durable solar system is better: this way, you will enjoy more energy and longer life. But if the costs are an unevenness, go to an option for a budget that may not have everything, but will do the job.
The following is a rapid reduction of factors you may want to consider while looking for your perfect solar settings:
- Efficiency: Energy efficiency rate of the solar panel.
- Terrat Area: Space available for sun setting installation.
- Aesthetic: As the device will be seen on your property. Note: A good aesthetics can increase the values of the property.
- Temperature coefficient: How the device works in different temperature conditions.
- Life guarantee: Duration of the guarantee offered by the manufacturer.
- Budget: Global cost of the solar system, including installation and maintenance.
- ROI expectations: Balance between costs and return.
- Energy output: Energy amount produced by the solar system.
- Panespan: Expected useful life of the sun settings.
- Reliability of the system: reliability of the solar system throughout its life.
Summary
From ancient solar dismissals to modern solar systems, the journey of solar energy has been remarkable. Today’s solar configuration options are in line with different needs; Hopefully, our recap of panels will help you make a balanced and well -informed choice for your home and enjoy sustainable energy over the next few years.