Solar Energy

Solar Energy1. Global Energy Production

2. Solar Energy – How to capture it?

3. Storage

4. Cost

5. Prospects

Worldwide Energy Sources (1)

Photovoltaics or Concentrated?

Two Main Issues

Storage (Dealing with Intermittency) Relative Cost

Thermal Energy Storage

Approximately 93% efficient

Battery Banks

• Approximately 90 % efficient

• Common uses Lead Acid batteries

Pumped-storage Hydroelectricity

• Approximately 75% efficient

Prospects• Background shows solar ‘hotspots.’

• Study by IAE (International Energy Agency) asserts that Solar Energy will be main source of global energy within 50 years. Optimistic?

• >50% of cost is Photovoltaic cell

Prospects cont’d

• Economies of scale • Small scale vs. large scale

• ~8000:1

References1. http://cdn.greenprophet.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/solar-farm-2.jpg2. http://yoganirvana.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/the-sun.jpg3. http://agreenliving.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/0348e86638solar-panels-affordable-housing.jpg4. http://www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/climate-blog/assets_c/2010/08/Ground%20mounted%20solar-thumb-480xauto-1617.jpg5. http://assets.thefiscaltimes.com/TFT2_20101228/App_Data/MediaFiles/2/2/9/%7B229E9A7F-E1A5-4B63-9732-A0EEC532377A

%7D05012011_Solar_article.jpg6. http://www.altestore.com/howto/images/article/world_solar_insolation_data.gif7. http://econintersect.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/nano-crystalline-silicon-solar-Stanford-SEM.jpg8. http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2011/02/busting-4-myths-about-solar-pv-vs-concentrating-solar-power9. http://greenecon.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/energy_cycle.jpg10. http://www.azonano.com/images/news/NewsImage_22979.jpg11. http://climatetechwiki.org/technology/jiqweb-ph12. http://images.clipartof.com/small/212006-Royalty-Free-RF-Clipart-Illustration-Of-A-Confused-Sun-Face-Thinking-With-A-Question-

Mark.jpg13. http://climatetechwiki.org/technology/jiqweb-ph14. http://www.wsetech.com/battery.php15. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-to-use-solar-energy-at-night

Questions?

Questions?