| In todays increasing environmentally conscious society, | | | | through a photodiode to power equipment or to |
| reducing our carbon footprint is seen as a social | | | | recharge batteries. |
| responsibility. Furthermore, as traditional sources of | | | | Solar cells are interconnected and assembled into |
| power become evermore expensive, energy derived | | | | panels which require protection form the environment |
| from renewable sources are becoming more | | | | to allow them to continue to work effectively. |
| attractive and sought after. | | | | Consequently, these panels are placed into a frame |
| Herein lies the beauty of using the most efficient solar | | | | made of metal, plastic or fibreglass and glass fronted. |
| panels we can find as a means of providing some or | | | | The construction of the frame within which the solar |
| all of our electrical power. Furthermore, the accessibility | | | | cells are housed is vital. This is because the solar cells |
| and affordability of efficient solar panels means that | | | | themselves are commonly made of wafer-based |
| they are no longer looked upon as quirky but rather as | | | | silicon and due to their being brittle they need protection |
| innovative, sensible and ultimately cost-effective. | | | | from the elements, particularly impact from hail, wind |
| It is estimated, given the world governments' increasing | | | | and snow and from moisture, which would corrode the |
| commitment to the use of renewable energy sources, | | | | metal contacts and connections. A solar panel |
| that by the year 2030 some 14% of the world's | | | | installation usually consists of multiple panels called an |
| energy will be provided by solar power. | | | | array. |
| The term solar panel actually describes two types of | | | | The use of solar panels is becoming evermore popular |
| device, to give them their technical names: | | | | and production has been doubling every two years, |
| 1. Solar photovoltaic modules | | | | increasing by an average of 48% each year since |
| 2. Solar thermal collectors. | | | | 2002. |
| Solar thermal collectors use the sun's energy to heat | | | | Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are increasingly |
| water (in domestic use) or other fluids. A good solar | | | | being integrated into new domestic and industrial |
| hot water panel is able to provide an average | | | | buildings either as a principal or an ancillary source of |
| household with around a third of its annual hot water | | | | electrical power. In new builds, the arrays are |
| supply. | | | | incorporated into the roof or walls of the building and |
| However, it is with the photovoltaic modules (solar | | | | roof tiles with integrated PV cells can now be |
| panels to you and I) that we will concentrate on here. | | | | purchased. |
| These panels use solar sensitive cells to convert light | | | | For existing buildings, arrays can be retrofitted usually |
| energy from the sun into electricity and thereby | | | | on top of the existing roof structure. Alternatively, |
| provide a clean source of energy with no waste | | | | arrays can be located separately and connected by |
| by-products. | | | | cable to provide the power supply for the building. |
| For the science minded, photons from sunlight knock | | | | Arrays are usually installed in a position angled so as to |
| the electrons into a higher state of energy thereby | | | | allow access to as much sunlight as possible to |
| creating electricity, passing the current so produced | | | | increase their efficiency. |