Rising Solar Investment
Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 3:33 pm
Sun holds a great deal of energy within itself. The planet receives so much energy from sun in the form of its light and heat that it can power the whole world for years to come. The solar energy can be tapped by collecting its heat or by converting its light into electricity. This can be done by installing solar panels or solar power plants. The solar power plant or photovoltaic cells are made up of silicon alloys, which absorb photons emitted from the sun. The photons hit the silicon atoms in the PV cells, transferring their energy and releasing the electrons from their orbit around the nucleus, thereby generating electricity.
The solar power plant, on the other hand, uses mirrors to reflect the heat energy from a large area onto a small space, such as a pipe filled with a fluid. Once the fluid's temperature has been raised to hundreds of degrees, it can be used to boil water and produce steam for a conventional generator.
Solar thermal investments have increased over the years. The number of solar cells manufactured has risen by 50% in 2007, with its total installed capacity reaching 8.7 GW. The efficiency of these cells has also risen from 4% in 1982 to over 20% for the latest technologies.
The solar power plant, on the other hand, uses mirrors to reflect the heat energy from a large area onto a small space, such as a pipe filled with a fluid. Once the fluid's temperature has been raised to hundreds of degrees, it can be used to boil water and produce steam for a conventional generator.
Solar thermal investments have increased over the years. The number of solar cells manufactured has risen by 50% in 2007, with its total installed capacity reaching 8.7 GW. The efficiency of these cells has also risen from 4% in 1982 to over 20% for the latest technologies.