Photovoltaic
... 1 The photovoltaic Effect page 2 2. ... Photovoltaic Cells page 3 3. ... 3 Advantages and disadvantages of the three basic categories of Photovoltaic systems: page 5 -Crystalline silicon flat plate PV modules -Thin film systems -Optical concentrators 5. Building Integrated Photovoltaic Systems (BIPV) page 6 6. Cost of a Photovoltaic System page 7 7. The Impact of Photovoltaic in the Environment page 8 8. The future of Photovoltaic page 8 8. ... -The conversion of direct sunlight into electricity by the photovoltaic effect explained later on, has long been considered the “prodigal child” of all renewable energy resources. ... 1 The Photovoltaic Effect -They basically work by transforming sunlight into electricity. ... -This procedure discovered in 1839 by Edmond Becquerel is known as the photovoltaic effect. ... 2 In Cold Weather Conditions Opposite to most peoples believes, Photovoltaic have in fact better conversion rates in colder weather scenarios, this is doe to Photovoltaic systems being electronic devices and converting electricity from sunlight, and not its heat. On the other hand in temperate or pleasant climates, if you want, photovoltaic systems will actually have lower energy conversion rates during winter than in summer, this is due to lower sun angles, shorter days and cloudy conditions, not to colder temperatures. ... 3 In Cloudy Conditions Photovoltaic systems, as you would expect lose effectiveness in lower sun angles and cloudy conditions. ... Photovoltaic Cells 3. ... 1 General advantages: -The main advantage of Photovoltaic or PV systems is that they don’t require fuel or cooling water in order to work, and are consequentially emission-free. ... 3 Advantages and disadvantages of the three basic categories of Photovoltaic systems: Crystalline silicon flat plate PV modules: These modules hold single crystal silicon and polycrystalline silicon, which is groaned or cast from melted silicon and later sliced into PV cells and then assembled into a flat surface. ... Thin film systems: They are manufactured by depositing a thin layer of photovoltaic material into glass or metal usually using a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process. ... Building Integrated Photovoltaic Systems (BIPV) -Buildings represent 20 to 30% of the total main energy requests in the industrialized World. In building integrated Photovoltaic systems, the photovoltaic material becomes an integral part of the building it self, serving as roof, walls or windows as it generates clean electricity silently. ... Cost of a Photovoltaic System Although savings can be generous, the costs of such systems can still be prohibitive. ... The Impact of Photovoltaic in the Environment -Global warming is a real problem that affects us all and PV systems can avoid a great amount of CO2 release into the atmosphere. ... The future of Photovoltaic 8. ... The intension of the British Photovoltaic Association is to gain 15% of the market by 2010, together with an UK installed PV capacity of 300 MWp.