GROUP 6

TOPIC: SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION INTO ELECTRICITY

1. The solar energy flux reaching the Earth’s surface represents a few thousand times the current use of
primary energy by humans. The potential of this resource is enormous and makes solar energy a crucial
component of a renewable energy portfolio aimed at reducing the global emissions of greenhouse
gasses into the atmosphere. Nevertheless, the current use of this energy resource represents less than
1% of the total electricity production from renewable sources. Even though the deployment of
photovoltaic systems has been increasing steadily for the last 20 years, solar technologies still suffer
from some drawbacks that make them poorly competitive on an energy market dominated by fossil
fuels: high capital cost, modest conversion efficiency, and intermittency. From a scientific and technical
viewpoint, the development of new technologies with higher conversion efficiencies and low
production costs is a key requirement for enabling the deployment of solar energy at a large scale. This
report summarizes the state of the research in some mature and emerging solar technologies with high
potential for large-scale energy production, and identifies fundamental research topics that are crucial
for improving their performance, reliability, and competitiveness.

An Assessment of Solar Energy Conversion Technologies and Research Opportunities GCEP Energy Assessment
Analysis Summer 2006 https://gcep.stanford.edu/pdfs/assessments/solar_assessment.pdf

2. Solar energy is an abundant and renewable energy source. The annual solar energy incident at the
ground in India is about 20,000 times the current electrical energy consumption. The use of solar
energy in India has been very limited. The average daily solar energy incident in India is 5 kWh/m 2 day
and hence energy must be collected over large areas resulting in high initial capital investment; it is
also an intermittent energy source. Hence solar energy systems must incorporate storage in order to
take care of energy needs during nights and on cloudy days. This results in further increase in the
capital cost of such systems.

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or
indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or
mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert
light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.[1]

Commercial concentrated solar power plants were first developed in the 1980s. The 354 MW SEGS CSP
installation is the largest solar power plant in the world, located in the Mojave Desert of California.
Other large CSP plants include the Solnova Solar Power Station (150 MW) and the Andasol solar power
station (150 MW), both in Spain. The 200 MW Golmud Solar Park in China, is the world’s
largestphotovoltaic plant.

Solar Energy Abstract BY DRVIPINLALT · JULY 28, 2014 http://abstract.co.in/solar-energy-abstract/

3. Energy is the most valuable resource and foundation of civilization. It is also our heritage for
future generations. Preserving this resource for future requires a thorough understanding of
energy resources, optimal operation and sustainable usage. Solutions that previously seemed
impossible or too expensive, today, are technically and economically achievable. Application of
new capacity generated by renewable energy sources, new management systems, advanced
technologies and improving productivity can contribute to economic growth.
Solar energy is one of the most important sources of energy as it is free and no other country can
charge for the use of the sun. Solar energy, on the other hand can be important because this
energy is infinite.
Solar energy received by the earth in one hour is more than the energy used by world’s
population in one year. World attention to solar energy has risen recently due to technology
development and lower cost of installation and operation along with environmental concerns
about fossil fuels. According to experts, solar energy will soon become the favorite energy used.
Increasing the efficiency of photovoltaic systems and reduced costs of associated equipment has
impacts on this explosive growth.
Addressing the issues related to solar energy and renewable energy is important for everyone.
This report investigates the nature of solar energy; various ways of exploiting it; and examining
the state of the art technologies used to provide power from this profitable energy.

Solar Electric and Solar Thermal Energy: A Summary of Current Technologies by Tayyebatossadat P.
AghaeiResearch Associate, Global Energy Network Institute (GENI) November, 2014
http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/research/solar-technology-summary/Solar-energy-and-technologies-2015-
03-11.pdf

4. Solar energy conversion into electricity by photovoltaic modules is now a mature technology. We
discuss the need for materials and device developments using conventional silicon and other materials,
pointing to the need to use scalable materials and to reduce the energy payback time. Storage of solar
energy can be achieved using the energy of light to produce a fuel. We discuss how this can be
achieved in a direct process mimicking the photosynthetic processes, using synthetic organic,
inorganic, or hybrid materials for light collection and catalysis. We also briefly discuss challenges and
needs for large-scale implementation of direct solar fuel technologies.

Solar energy for electricity and fuels by Olle Inganäs and Villy Sundström, Dec 14,2015
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4678122/

5. Among all energy resources, solar energy is the most abundant one, and compared to the rate at which
all energy is used on this planet, the rate at which solar energy is intercepted by the Earth is about 10
000 times higher. There is a whole family of solar technologies that can deliver heat, cooling,
electricity, lighting, and fuels for a host of applications. One of these technologies is photovoltaics,
which converts solar energy directly into electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic
effect and are called solar cells. The photovoltaic effect was discovered by Alexandre-Edmond
Becquerel in 1839, but it was not until 1954—more than a hundred years later—that scientists at the
Bell Laboratories developed the first modern solar cell, using a silicon semiconductor to convert light
 into electricity. Since those early days of modern photovoltaics, prices for solar modules have
decreased from over USD 1500 per Wp (Watt-peak) in 1955 (in 1955 USD) to less than USD 1 per Wp in
2014 (in 2014 USD). During the same time, commercial production increased from a few hundred
Watts to power satellites—in 1958, Vanguard I, the first satellite powered by solar cells, went into
orbit—to a production volume of about 50 GW in 2014. This article explores the role that the lightest
natural metals—lithium, beryllium, magnesium, aluminum and calcium, and the adjacent metalloid
boron—play in this dynamic technology field.

Solar Energy and Photovoltaics by Arnulf Jäger-Waldau Published Online: 23 DEC 2015
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119951438.eibc2312/abstract

6. In the present study we demonstrate for the first time the possibility for conversion of solar energy
into electricity on the principles of Direct Photosynthetic Plant Fuel Cell (DPPFC) technology by using
aquatic higher plants. Lemna minuta duckweed was grown autotrophically in specially constructed fuel
cells under sunlight irradiation and laboratory lighting. Current and power density up to 1.62±0.10
A.m(-2) and 380±19 mW.m(-2), respectively, were achieved under sunlight conditions. The influence of
the temperature, light intensity and day/night sequencing on the current generation was investigated.
The importance of the light intensity was demonstrated by the higher values of generated current (at
permanently connected resistance) during daytime than those through the nights, indicating the
participation of light-dependent photosynthetic processes. The obtained DPPFC outputs in the night
show the contribution of light-independent reactions (respiration). The electron transfer in the
examined DPPFCs is associated with a production of endogenous mediator, secreted by the duckweed.
The plants' adaptive response to the applied polarization is also connected with an enhanced
metabolism resulting in an increase of the protein and carbohydrate intracellular content. Further
investigations aiming at improvement of the DPPFC outputs and elucidation of the electron transfer
mechanism are required for practical application.

Conversion of solar energy into electricity by using duckweed in Direct Photosynthetic Plant Fuel Cell by Yulina
Hubenova http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/22445768

7. Solar energy has experienced phenomenal growth in recent years due to both technological
improvements resulting in cost reductions and government policies supportive of renewable energy
development and utilization. This study analyzes the technical, economic and policy aspects of solar
energy development and deployment. While the cost of solar energy has declined rapidly in the recent
past, it still remains much higher than the cost of conventional energy technologies. Like other
renewable energy technologies, solar energy benefits from fiscal and regulatory incentives and
mandates, including tax credits and exemptions, feeding-tariff, preferential interest rates, renewable
portfolio standards and voluntary green power programs in many countries. Potential expansion of
carbon credit markets also would provide additional incentives to solar energy deployment; however,
the scale of incentives provided by the existing carbon market instruments, such as the Clean
Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol, is limited. Despite the huge technical potential,
development and large-scale, market-driven deployment of solar energy technologies world-wide still
has to overcome a number of technical and financial barriers. Unless these barriers are overcome,
 maintaining and increasing electricity supplies from solar energy will require continuation of
potentially costly policy supports.

A Review of Solar Energy Markets, Economics and Policies by Govinda R. Timilsina, Lado Kurdgelashvili, Patrick A.
Narbel (The World Bank Development Research Group Environment and Energy Team October 2011)
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/546091468178728029/pdf/WPS5845.pdf

8. Global Warming is a problem faced by every nation in the world. This issue must be solved in order to
continuity of life of future generations can be kept safe and secure. As part of the world community,
Indonesia is actively overcome this problem by issuing policies that are pro-renewable energy usage
that in fact environmentally friendly. One of them is to put renewable energy sources as a first priority
to supply electrical energy needs. Since the presence at the equator, the sun's abundant energy to be
important option in fulfilling the electricity needs of the population, especially people living in eastern
Indonesia and other areas on each island that is located very far from the grid.

Solar Energy for Sustainable Rural Electrification in Indonesia by Dr. Syaifuddin, ST., MM. and Roni Rohiman A.,
ST. https://repit.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/solar-energi-for-rural-electrification-in-indonesia.pdf

9. Solar energy is one of the renewable forms of energy being utilised for power generation, but it is not
effectively utilized. Solar powered stirling engines is a better option for effective utilization of solar
energy for electricity production. Earlier, solar energy was utilized by photovoltaic panels for small
scale remote use applications. Now, solar thermal technologies especially concentrating solar power is
getting attention. Dish Stirling System is one of the Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies. At
present, solar powered stirling system is not being utilized in many countries. Stirling engine is unique
in the sense that it uses only two pistons for motoring action. It is a better solution for increasing
demand of power. Unlike Internal Combustion Engines, it has high efficiency, and its operation is
noiseless due to the absence of exhaust valves. The heat source used for the operation of the whole
system can be of any burnable fuel such as straw, rice husk, wood and cheap combustibles. This way of
generation ensures to be eco-friendly too i.e., this type of power generation yields no pollutants as by
products. Molten salt heat storage system stores energy whenever power generation is not required.
This is proven to be the most efficient way to convert solar energy to electric power. It is twice efficient
and five times cost effective as compared to photovoltaic cells. Stirling engines have got a variety of
applications in the field of space exploration, military purposes, heating and cooling purposes etc.

ELECTRICITY GENERATION USING SOLAR POWERED STIRLING ENGINE by BLESSY JOY, PRIYA JOHN, ANJUMAN
HABEEB, JEFFY MARIN JOSE http://iraj.in/up_proc/pdf/149-143254073660-64.pdf

10. Solar energy has been used for millions of years before the invention of solar panels. Many forms of
life use sunlight to survive and thrive. The forms of life that use sunlight include humans for warmth
and recently started using the energy of the sun to produce electricity that is renewable and
sustainable. Using solar panels, solar energy is converted into electrical energy that can power an
entire building. The power production from three different solar panel mountings, fixed, tracking, and
adjustable, will depend on several identified factors, namely: cloud cover, sun intensity, relative
humidity, and heat buildup. Netlogo program is utilized in this project to simulate the production of
solar power from twenty four solar panels within an average of twelve daylight hours. The identified
factors are controlled using sliders during several trials. The results of this study have been analyzed
and discussed, a conclusion has been made, and a recommendation for future study is included.

New Mexico Supercomputing Challenge Final Report FACTORS AFFECTING SOLAR POWER PRODUCTION
EFFICIENCY by Ericson Gordo, Nashat Khalaf, Tyler Strangeowl April 1, 2015
http://www.supercomputingchallenge.org/14-15/finalreports/88.pdf