What is a Solar Cell

You probably have heard the term solar cell many times. For decades, people have found many ways on how to use it. It is a part of small gadgets like calculators, watches, toys and other things that has minute mechanisms. When put together, it can also be used for powering remote cellular sites and telecommunication spots. What exactly is a solar cell? Can it really be used efficiently as source of alternative thermal energy for the home?

A solar cell is also referred to as photovoltaic cell or photoelectric cell.  It is a type of electric device which works by converting light into usable electricity. It is also dependent on the photovoltaic effect wherein the voltage it produces creates electric energy that can be directly utilized.

A solar cell is made from a monocrystalline silicon wafer. Once it is assembled together, it then forms a solar module. It is used in creating solar panels that gathers energy from the sun which is used as electricity.

In places where there are no commercial power lines yet, the combination of multiple photo-voltaic rays can produce electricity that powers up small appliances like radios. It works perfectly for other appliances too as a support for batteries. When the electrical energy from batteries is all used up, the solar energy can make up for the energy demand.

Smaller solar panels have long been used as source of alternative energy for smaller devices like calculator and watches. Today, with the improving technology that we have, more and more ways of using the sun as a source of energy are being developed. The system keeps on improving. That is why homes and industries can now depend on it.

  

On a bigger scale, the solar cells which make up solar panels bring sufficient energy to homes. All it takes is a matter of putting up an effective solar panel system. The most common way of using these panels is to provide sufficient thermal energy for the water heating system. Instead of using the electricity from utility companies, the solar panels can cover for 50% to 80% of electricity demand in every household. 

Countries like the United States, Thailand,Taiwan, Japan, China and Germany specialize in the production of solar cell. These countries are the leading manufacturers in the market. If you have built your solar panels using top of the line solar cells, it can last for as long as 15 to 30 years. Your initial investment will be returned to you in multiple folds. 

If you are considering having solar panels installed in your home, there are two options that you could either opt for the available do it yourself kits or have a professional company install it for you. Just consider what how you intend to utilize it and what works best for your location. 

The solar cell  may be a very small thing but when put together, it can produce impressive amount of alternative energy. With various systems now which utilize solar energy, there are more ways on how to save money and natural resources.

Easy Steps to Set Up a Solar Water Pump

Building a solar water pump for your home, garden, or farm is costly and does require some labor, but you can do it yourself instead of having to call on professionals who may charge you enormously. Although it is by no means a straightforward piece of machinery, building one on your own is possible with a little guidance from the experts.

Keep in mind that a solar water pump is costly despite having only four main components and being a significantly cheaper alternative to a diesel-powered pump in the long run. A typical solar pump system for home or backyard use consists of one or two solar panels, a motor, a controller to regulate the electric current, and a pump, preferably a direct current pump that maximizes available electrical power.

Knowing where to install the pump is easy since you’ll just have to find a nearby water source that best suits your needs, but knowing where to set up your solar panels will require a bit more deliberation. You can mount your solar panels just about anywhere but the ideal position is one where they can enjoy the best exposure to sunlight the whole year round. It is advisable to have the panels mounted on a raised pole. They should be high enough that they won’t be easily damaged by wandering animals and that they remain above ground even after heavy snowfall but not too high that they’re out of your reach when the time comes for you to clean them.

While it is possible to directly connect your pump’s motor to the solar panels that supply them with power, a controller is recommended as a go-between. The controller regulates the flow of electrical current so that the pump’s output is directly proportional to the power supplied by available sunlight. This further ensures that every last watt of energy goes to the actual function of the pump even when sunlight is not as abundant or the performance of the solar panels has somehow unexpectedly degraded.

In choosing a pump for your system, your best bet would be one that is so efficient that its energy usage will dictate a proportionately smaller solar panel size. This is an important consideration since solar panels are the most expensive components of any solar pump system. If you try to reduce your expenses by using a cheaper pump with substandard performance, you may well end up having to install a much larger solar array, thus negating your cost-saving measures.

To know more visit http://www.thaisolarpanel.net/ 

Top Reasons to Use Solar Water Pumps

• Sunlight is the only source of energy we don't have to worry about it running out. Solar Energy is sustainable and renewable source of energy. Sun is consistence power source and that means it is always going to be there at all times.
• It is an environment friendly source of energy unlike the fossil fuels which emit greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and carcinogens. Solar cells have zero or no emissions into the atmosphere meaning we can use it without causing any hamper to the environment.
• The solar panels are reliable and contain no moving parts so there is no maintenance cost post product purchase unlike machines that have moving parts. This is the reason why you need not worry about replacing any machine parts.
• The solar cells do not create any noise while functioning in contrast to any renewable or non renewable sources which require a lot of noisy moving parts.
• The main reason why solar systems should be replaced with any other power generating machine is because it has proven to be the cheapest in the long run. Although it needs an initial investment, it soon breaks even by paying for itself and can later help you achieve huge profits. This is any ways much better than paying monthly bills and expecting no ROI (Return on Investment).

Why Solar Water Pumps?

• Solar water pumps are much effective and advantageous compared to any alternative power systems or the tradition gas or electric power systems. Solar Water Pumping System (ปั๊มน้ำโซล่าเซลล์) is the latest thing in the market and is being widely replaced with the conventional systems both for drinking and irrigational purposes.
• The solar water pumping system is self contained and requires no maintenance which means there is no requirement of any complex wiring system to the electrical grid. There is no requirement of any outside fuel too which implies it runs cost free. The solar array on which the pumping mechanism works gathers all the necessary energy from sunlight itself.
• The fact that it causes no pollution is a great advantage when solar pumps are being used for irrigation of farms, where any sort of pollution could cause short term and long term damage to people and the environment. Keeping the traditional machines using fossil fuels out of the picture, we can eliminate the chances of possible contamination.
• Another advantage of this system is that it is multi-purpose. Solar pumps can be used to drain out the low lying fields which get flooded frequently and also to move water in order to irrigate plants or feed livestock.