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A basic introduction to Solar Power
The solar cell is the heart of a solar electricity system. This is where the sun's energy is captured and turned into usable electricity for everyday use. Although making solar cells requires advanced technology, when connected together in a solar module, they are simple to use.
The science of photovoltaics
Photovoltaics are solid-
Some facts about Solar Power:
• Worldwide photovoltaic installations increased to 1,744 MW in 2006, up from 1,460 MW installed
during the previous year. In 1985, annual solar installation demand was only 21 Megawatts.
• The Australian Solar PV market represented only 0.3% of this market in 2006
• Cumulative solar energy production accounts for less than 0.01% of total Global Primary Energy
demand. Solar Energy demand has grown at about 25% per annum over the past 15 years
(hydrocarbon energy demand typically grows between 0-
• Japan accounted for around 39% of total global cell production in 2006. Among the top
five manufacturers, Sharp remains the largest and has shown the fastest growth over the
last five years.
• Solar Energy (photovoltaic) prices have declined on average 4% per annum over the past 15 years.
• The earth receives more energy from the sun in just one hour than the world uses in a whole year.
• Two billion people in the world have no access to electricity. For most of them, solar photovoltaics would be their cheapest electricity source, but they cannot afford it.
• Approximately 45% of the cost of a silicon cell solar module is driven by the cost of the silicon wafer, a further 35% is driven by the materials required to assemble the solar module.
• As early as 1921, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for experiments with solar power and photovoltaics. It was awarded to Albert Einstein.
• When silicon is taken from just one ton of sand, and used in photovoltaic solar power panels, that silicon can produce as much electricity as 500,000 tons of burning coal.
• Despite what you may have heard, the average payback for a solar panel (the time it takes to recover the emissions that go into making the panel) is less than 3 years. Considering the solar panels have an expected lifespan of at least 30 years, this means the solar panel will have a net gain of more than 27 years. Click here for the report by the U.S Department of Energy on solar panels and their energy payback.
• The 1990’s were the warmest decade, and 1998 was the single warmest year of the
past millenium. Click here for a no-
More about solar modules
The solar module (or panel) is comprised of several individual solar cells that are connected
together and encapsulated in a protective envelope behind a sheet of protective glass.
Combined with a metal frame and equipped with connectors, solar modules can be transported
and connected in the field in a safe and practical manner.
By connecting solar panels
in certain configurations (called a solar array), one can dictate the
current and voltage of the array, thus dictating the electricity the system produces. The size
of your solar electricity system will be dictated by the amount of space available or amount of
daily energy required (loads) and the amount of solar energy available at your location. A
professional supplier can assist you by performing a detailed analysis and preparing a
quotation based on the analysis.
The output of a solar module is measured and rated
in the factory at Standard Test Conditions
(STC). For example a BP Solar 3160 is rated at 160 watts. This rating is used to size systems
as well. An array of 20 BP 3160s on a home comprises a 3,200 watt system, commonly referred
to as a 3.2 kilowatt (kW) system.
Solar and the environment
Photovoltaics (PV) are probably the most benign method of power generation known.
They are silent, produce no emissions, and use no fuel (other than sunlight!). The
production of PV of course, varies among manufacturers. BP Solar makes extensive
use of recycled materials and even uses waste from other industries as raw material.
BP Solar's PV technology is based on silicon, the second most common element on the
earth's surface. As used in solar modules, silicon is non-
Solar performance factors
Weather naturally affects the performance of PV, but not entirely as you might expect.
The amount of sunlight, of course, is most important in determining the output a
solar electricity system will produce at a given location, but temperature is also
important. Contrary to most people's intuition, photovoltaics actually generate more
power at lower temperatures with other factors being equal. This is because solar
PV cells are electronic devices and generate electricity from light, not heat. Like
most electronic devices, PV operates more efficiently at cooler temperatures. In
temperate climates, PV will generate less energy in the winter than in the summer,
but this is due to the shorter days, lower sun angles and greater cloud cover, not
the cooler temperatures. PV is naturally inefficient in low sun and cloudy conditions.
Typically, the output of any industrial solar module is reduced to 5-
Grid Connect Systems
Remote Power
Government Rebates
Solar Power FAQ’s
Why Go Solar?
A photovoltaic (PV) device (generally called a solar cell) consists of layers of
semiconductor materials with different electronic properties. In a typical BP Solar
crystalline silicon cell, the bulk of the material is silicon, doped with a small
quantity of boron to give it a positive or p-
Light consists of particles called photons. When light hits the solar cell,
some of the photons are absorbed in the region of the junction, freeing electrons
in the silicon crystal. If the photons have enough energy, the electrons will be
able to overcome the electric field at the junction and are free to move through
the silicon and into an external circuit. As they flow through the external circuit
they give up their energy as useful work (turning motors, lighting lamps, etc.) and
return to the solar cell. The photovoltaic process is completely solid-