Solar Electric Power Plants

Harness solar power to

generate electricity Main types:

Solar thermal energy

Has mirrored surface that reflects sunlight to heat up liquid to make steam to generate electricity
Uses photovoltaic cells that absorb direct sunlight

Array of mirrored solar collectors at FPL Energy site in California

Photovoltaic

Concentrated solar collector (parabolic)

What is Solar Energy?

Energy produced by the

sun Clean, renewable source of energy Harnessed by solar collection methods such as solar cells Converted into usable energy such as electricity

Energy from the Sun is Abundant

Solar power

systems installed in the areas defined by the dark disks could meet the world's current total energy demand

How much solar energy?

The surface receives about 47% of the total solar energy that

reaches the Earth. Only this amount is usable.

Solar Cells are Converters of Energy

Light energy

Electrical energy (carried through wires)

Solar cell converts light energy to electricity

But Not All Energy is Converted

Like chloroplasts in plants, solar cells can only absorb specific wavelengths of light. In both, light that isnt absorbed is either transmitted through or reflected back. Whether a certain wavelength of lights gets absorbed depends on its energy.

Chlorophyll molecules absorb blue and red light, but reflect green light

A Little Background on Light

Different colors of light have different wavelengths and different

energies

Absorption of Light by Atoms

Absorption occurs only when the energy of the light equals the energy of transition of an electron
Single electron transition in an isolated atom
Light

Absorption of Light by Molecules

Molecules have

multiple atoms bonded together More energy states in molecules than atoms More electron jumps possible - light with a range of frequencies are absorbed

Smallest DE possible

Absorption of Light by Ionic Compounds

Electrons can

jump between bands Incident light with energy than the band gap energy can be used to excite the electrons

So What Does this Mean for Solar Cells?

In dye-sensitized solar

cells

Talk about highest

In single-crystal silicon solar cells Talk about conduction band (excited states) and valence band (ground states)

occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO)

A Closer Look at Solar Cells

How do traditional,

silicon-based solar cells and newer, dyesensitized solar cells work? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of cell?
Dye-sensitized solar cell

Silicon-based solar cell

How a Silicon-Based Solar Cell Works

Light with energy greater than the band gap

energy of Si is absorbed Energy is given to an electron in the crystal lattice The energy excites the electron; it is free to move A positive hole is left in the electrons place This separation of electrons and holes creates a voltage and a current

How a Dye-Sensitized Cell Works

Light with high enough

energy excites electrons in dye molecules Excited electrons infused into semiconducting TiO2, transported out of cell Positive holes left in dye molecules Separation of excited electrons and holes creates a voltage

Dye-Sensitized and Silicon-based Solar Cells Compared

Dye-Sensitized Relatively

inexpensive Thin, lightweight, flexible Short return on investment

Traditional Expensive Fragile, rigid, thick Long return on investment

Solar-Thermal Electricity: Power Towers

General idea is to collect the light from many reflectors

spread over a large area at one central point to achieve high temperature. Example is the 10-MW solar power plant in Barstow, CA.

1900 heliostats, each 20 ft by 20 ft a central 295 ft tower

An energy storage system allows it to generate 7 MW of

electric power without sunlight. Capital cost is greater than coal fired power plant, despite the no cost for fuel, ash disposal, and stack emissions. Capital costs are expected to decline as more and more power towers are built with greater technological advances. One way to reduce cost is to use the waste steam from the turbine for space heating or other industrial processes.

Power Towers

Parabolic Dishes and Troughs

Heliostats
They direct and concentrate the solar radiation onto a central receiver. Many parameters must be optimized, in the design of a solar thermal plant The parameters are
Location Shading and Blocking

Cost break up

The cost break up of the solar plant is as under Single sun solar cells of 1 MW or 1000 KW - Rs 12.50 crore Double axis trackers costing approx - Rs 5.00 crore Grid feed Inverters (MPPT) 250 Kw x 4 - Rs 2.00 crore Special UV / IR Filter cover glass - Rs 3.75 crore - helps prevent solar cell heating & ageing Land around 10-15 acres - Rs 2.50 crore Varies greatly Plant site development & erection - Rs 1.00 crore Total : Rs 26.75 crore.

Efficiency and Disadvantages

Efficiency is far lass than the 77% of solar spectrum with usable wavelengths. 43% of photon energy is used to warm the crystal. Efficiency drops as temperature increases (from 24% at 0C to 14% at 100C.) Light is reflected off the front face and internal electrical resistance are other factors. Overall, the efficiency is about 10-14%.
Cost of electricity from coalburning plants is anywhere b/w 8-20 cents/kWh, while photovoltaic power generation is anywhere b/w $0.50-1/kWh. Does not reflect the true costs of burning coal and its emissions to the nonpolluting method of the latter. Underlying problem is weighing efficiency against cost. Crystalline silicon-more efficient, more expensive to manufacture Amorphous silicon-half as efficient, less expensive to produce.

Final Thought
Argument that sun provides power only during the day is countered by the fact that 70% of energy demand is during daytime hours. At night, traditional methods can be used to generate the electricity. Goal is to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. Currently, 75% of our electrical power is generated by coal-burning and nuclear power plants. Mitigates the effects of acid rain, carbon dioxide, and other impacts of burning coal and counters risks associated with nuclear energy. pollution free, indefinitely sustainable.

THANK YOU