Exploring Solar Energy
Review: Atomic Structure




Three particles
Nucleus
Electrostatic Force
Strong nuclear force
©
The NEED Projec
Radiant Energy
Nuclear Fusion
©
The NEED Projec
Northern Hemisphere Seasons
Variances in Solar Radiation
©
The NEED Projec
Average Daily Solar Insolation Per Month
©
The NEED Projec
Major Uses of Solar Energy
oDaylight
oDrying Agricultural Products
oSpace Heating
oWater Heating
oGenerating Electrical Power
oConcentrating Solar Power (CSP)
oPhotovoltaics
©
The NEED Projec
Daylighting
©
The NEED Projec
Daylighting
©
The NEED Projec
Drying Agricultural Products
©
The NEED Projec
Space Heating Through Passive Solar
©
The NEED Projec
Passive Solar
©
The NEED Projec
Active Solar Heating
©
The NEED Projec
Solar Collector
 Glass on outside
 Absorbent on inside
 Circulating Fluid
©
The NEED Projec
Solar Thermal Collector Uses
Source: Energy Information Administration Annual Energy Review Figure 10.7
http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/annual/showtext.cfm?t=ptb1007
©
The NEED Projec
Generating Electrical Power
 Concentrating Solar
Power (CSP)
• Trough systems
• Power towers
 Heat exchanger plus
steam turbine
 Photovoltaics
• Small-scale (buildings)
kW production
• Large-scale (utilities)
MW production
 Photoelectric effect
©
The NEED Projec
Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)
Power Tower
©
The NEED Projec
How a Power Tower Works
©
The NEED Projec
Ivanpah, Mojave Desert
 The United States houses the largest CSP plant in the
Mojave Desert.
 Ivanpah is operated by NRG. It uses 347,000 garage
door-sized mirrors and 173,500 heliostats.
Image courtesy of NRG Energy
©
The NEED Projec
Photovoltaics
©
The NEED Projec
©
The NEED Projec
PV Cell
©
The NEED Projec
N-type
©
The NEED Projec
P-type
©
The NEED Projec
P-N Junction
©
The NEED Projec
©
The NEED Projec
Conversion Efficiency
©
The NEED Projec
PV Array Components
 PV Cells
 Modules
 Arrays
©
The NEED Projec
PV System Components
©
The NEED Projec
Net Metering
©
The NEED Projec
Net Metering Participation
EIA: Electric Power Annual 2012
©
The NEED Projec
PV Array Fields
©
The NEED Projec
Remote PV Power
©
The NEED Projec
Worldwide PV Installed Capacity
Top Countries for Installed PV Capacity
US Department of Energy,
NREL 2013 Renewable Energy
Data Book
©
The NEED Projec
Global Regional PV Installations per Inhabitant
Source: European Photovoltaic Industry Association
©
The NEED Projec
Projected Global Photovoltaic Growth
450
400
GW Installed Capacity
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
2015
2020E
©
The NEED Projec
Advantages of Solar Energy
• Clean
• Sustainable
• Free
• Provide electricity to remote
places
©
The NEED Projec
Disadvantages of Solar Energy
 Less efficient and costly
equipment
 Part Time
 Reliability Depends On Location
 Environmental Impact of PV Cell
Production
©
The NEED Projec
Classroom Photovoltaics
 Experiments help students understand the conditions
needed for optimal power production
 Focus of secondary-level solar curriculum
 Use digital multimeters
©
The NEED Projec
Using a Digital Multimeter
DC Voltage
Scale
Resistance
Scale. Do
not use.
Indicates
voltage from
alternating
current. Do not
use.
DC Current
Scale
©
The NEED Projec
Wiring the PV Modules
Series
Parallel
©
The NEED Projec
For More Information
The NEED Project
www.need.org
info@need.org
1-800-875-5029
Energy Information Administration
U.S. Department of Energy
www.eia.gov
NEED IS SOCIAL
Stay up-to-date with NEED. “Like” us on Facebook! Search for
The NEED Project, and check out all we’ve got going on!
Follow us on Twitter. We share the latest energy news from
around the country, @NEED_Project.
Follow us on Instagram and check out the photos taken at
NEED events, instagram.com/theneedproject.
Follow us on Pinterest and pin ideas to use in your classroom,
Pinterest.com/NeedProject.
All NEED schools have outstanding classroom-based programs in which students
learn about energy. Does your school have student leaders who extend these
activities into their communities? To recognize outstanding achievement and reward
student leadership, The NEED Project conducts the National Youth Awards Program
for Energy Achievement.
What’s involved?
Students and teachers set goals and objectives, and keep a record of their activities.
Students create a digital project to submit for judging. In April, digital projects should
be uploaded to the online submission site.
Want more info? Check out www.NEED.org/Youth-Awards for more application and
program information, previous winners, and photos of past events.