Residential Solar Energy, Solar Cells Types, and the Growth of Silicon Sources (Part 7)

In the following, we tell the story of silicon sourcingto upgrade to solar on a large scale across many
back to it's bust in the early 1990s, define the differentmarkets in the United States that were once thought
types of solar cells, and highlight (briefly) the new solartoo expensive to install residential solar systems.
technologies emerging today (thin film and nano-solar).Sourcing of Silicon for Home Solar Energy Systems
The following topics will be explained in varying levelsThe material used to make most solar cells today is
of detail; how a solar cell converts sunlight energy viathe abundant element called silicon. In simple terms,
the use of different types of silicon, the use of siliconsilicon is one of the most common elements on Earth.
and where it comes from, and a little about the historyIt really is no more than sand. It can be melted down,
of silicon sourcing over the past 18 years.added to other materials, and manufactured into
The Future Solar Panel and Home Solar Manufacturingthousands of products. Availability of solar grade silicon
As the residential solar power industry has maturedhas been one of the limiting factors in the solar module
and showed a steady growth of about 40 percent amanufacturing industry for the past several years.
year, the silicon industry is now responding with newThe story goes something like this. Solar grade silicon
production and caches of raw materials. Many siliconis produced in large scale, expensive to build
refineries and new silicon sourcing companies areprocessing facilities. "Well, isn't it just sand?" One might
getting the funding and moving towards rapidask. Of course, sand is basically silicon, but with a lot of
production in the next dozen or so months. There areimpurities. Solar grade silicon is highly refined silicon that
plans and announcements by several companies suchis purified through gasification and then "doped" with
as GE, BP, and others about launching new facilitiesprecise impurities to create free electrons, which is
that produce silicon at a fraction of the cost we mayexplained in following articles.
be experiencing today. This is all exciting news forThere are basically 3 types of silicon going into current
home solar power enthusiasts and for those wishingsolar energy systems being installed today;
to upgrade to residential solar generated electricity.1. Silicon Crystals: A silicon atom has a positively
The silicon industry is or has been slow to increasecharged nucleus that is surrounded by negatively
overall manufacturing capabilities because of the largecharged electrons. The important factor in silicon is that
growth during the early 1990s that eventually whenit has 4 outer electrons. The 4 orbiting electrons can
stale. The extreme growth expectations were hypedbond to the other electrons rotating around different
and many industry experts expected much expansionelements. Each silicon atom connects with 4 more
in the early 1990s. This just did not happen 18 yearssilicon atoms to construct a perfect pattern, a
ago. Fortunately, we are now experience much morerepeating crystalline structure.
accepting market, social expectations of our2. Monocrystalline Silicon: The silicon is grown as large
movement to renewable technologies, andcylinders, which are sliced into wafers that become
governmental support to make the switch to homeindividual solar cells.
solar power.3. Polycrystalline Silicon: Liquid silicon is poured into thin
In the past, the solar silicon refining industry made solarcontainers and cooled.
panel manufacturers sign long-term contracts atEmerging Availability of Home Solar Energy System
extremely high prices to secure any silicon at all. ForWant to know how to rent a home solar electric
example, a solar manufacturing plant had to slowsystem for your house? Well, it's pretty simple. You
production to a trickle because of a lack of silicon. Thebasically pay a flat monthly rental fee just like you do
economics have now changed since 2006 makingtoday for a satellite dish or some other equipment you
massive silicon contracts viable at better prices.rent. The rental fee is determined by the amount of
Nano-Solar and Thin Film Solar Cells: It's the Futureenergy you use, the solar resource in your area and
We are now at the dawn of a home solar energythe cost of energy in your region. A solar engineer will
revolution. The solar power manufacturers inventedcome to your home, look at your roof size, angle and
and are beginning to manufacture new solar modulesshading to size the system for your location.
that do not use silicon at all. There are alternativeGoing solar and using renewable, solar energy is
materials using nano-technology that are and willgetting simpler every day. The following article
continue to radically change the consumption andexplained in some detail why the sourcing of silicon has
production of solar generated electricity.slowed in the overall residential solar power market in
Some of these materials are still experimental but triedthe past. This is just not the case any longer and more
and true solar technologies are now available on rentaloptions are emerging daily for the average
basis so homeowners can avoid the large upfronthomeowner to rethink solar power and renewable
purchase expenses. Because there are now largesolar energies.
sources of silicon, homeowners now have the choice