Solar energy photovoltaics

Keywords hydrogen, solar energy, photovoltaics, electrolyzer, photochemical 1. Introduction... 

A future trend in the electricity supply industry, much discussed, is a move towards distributed (local) generation. This might be based on combined heat and power (CHP) schemes that would employ gas microturbines or gas engines, on solar energy (photovoltaic, solar—thermal) or on wind turbines. Most of the renewables are best utilized on a small-scale, local basis. Distributed generation is applicable in both semi-urban areas and in remote locations and may be the answer for many of those who currently are isolated from mains supplies. Sadly, often these people cannot afford such technology and their economic position is unlikely to improve until they do have access to electricity and fuels. 

Solar energy photovoltaic cells and solar cells. 

A. J. Nozik, in Photovoltaic and Photoelectrochemical Solar Energy Conversion, F. Cardon, W. P. Gomes, and W. Dekeyser, eds.. Plenum, New York, 1981. 

R. J. Arnault, E. Berman, C. Gay, R. E. L. Tolbert, andj. W. Yerkes, "The ASI One-Megawatt Photovoltaic Power Plant," International Solar Energy Society World Congress, Perth, Western Australia, Aug. 14—19,1993. 

R. H. Annan, W. L. Wallace, T. Surek, E. Boes, and L. O. Herwig, Department of Energy Keview of the U.S. Photovoltaic Industry, Report ST-211-3488, Solar Energy Research Institute, Golden, Colo., 1989. 

Selenium is also used in thin-film photovoltaic cells (qv) which contain copper indium diselenide [12018-95-0] CuInSe2. Use is quite small as of 1996. However, if the United States solar energy output with such cells were to increase by 100 MW/yr, this would require 8 t of selenium aimuaHy (see... 

Solar cells the difference between conduction and valence band chemical potentials is the available output voltage of a solar cell. Light creates the chemical potential difference simply by boosting a population of electrons from the valence band into the conduction band (see Photovoltaic cells Solar energy). 

The understanding of the electronic properties of nanostructures is one of the most rapidly advancing areas in science. This has two major implications first, it will lead to the construction of nanocircuitiy and nanocomputers that will use considerably less power than current computers while being faster and smaller and second, it will lead to increasing efficiency and decreasing cost of photovoltaic power conversion ( solar energy ). 

The photovoltaics industry could expand rapidly if the efficiency of polycrystalline modules could be increased to 15 percent, if these modules could be built with assurance of reliability over a 10- to 20-year period, and if they could be manufactured for 100 or less per square meter. Solar energy research has been largely directed toward only one of these issues efficiency. All research aimed at reducing manufacturing costs has been done in industry and has been largely empirical. Almost no fundamental engineering research has been done on either the laboratory scale or the pilot plant scale for cost-effective processes for the production of photoconverters. 

Loferski JL (1956) Theoretical considerations governing the choice of the optimum semiconductor for photovoltaic solar energy conversion. J Appl Phys 27 777-784... 

Gratzel M (2007) Photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical conversion of solar energy. Phil Trans R Soc A 365 993-1005... 

Green MA (2007) Third generation photovoltaics - Advanced solar energy conversion. Springer, Berlin... 

The great energy consumption, limited recources of traditional fuels and environmental problems have lead to intensive research on the conversion of solar energy during the last fifteen years. Conversion into electrical energy has been realized in technical devices consisting of pn-junction photovoltaic cells. Efficiencies of up to 20 % have been obtained with single crystal devices and around 9 % with polycrystalline or amorphous layers. 

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