There's been brouhaha over Renewable energy now a days that rides on top of depleting fossil fuel and climate change. What is the likelihood of Solar energy becoming a proven reality where every other country with average solar insolation producing at least 25% of energy needs from Solar?

Solar Power Information.

In 1839 a French physicist named Alexandre Edmond Becquerel was experimenting with metal electrodes and electrolyte when he discovered the phenomenon of ‘photovoltaic effect’. He had found that conductance rises with illumination. Then in 1876 Willoughby Smith found that a junction between selenium and platinumproduced a photovoltaic effect when illuminated.

Then in 1877 Charles Fritts put the two processes together to make the world’s first selenium solar cell. The cell had a conversion efficiency of about 1% and selenium is hard to find so it is expensive. These two things, plus the fact that it was 1877, and electric can openers had not been invented yet; prevented the further development of the cell for a power supply.

Today photovoltaic cells are mostly made of semiconductors such as silicon.Basically the theory works like this. Light strikes the cell. A portion of it is absorbed within the semiconductor material. This means that the energy of the absorbed light is transferred to the semiconductor. The energy knocks electrons loose, allowing them to flow freely. And due to the electric field with in the cell the electrons can only flow in one direction. This flow of electrons is electrical current.

But the mathematical equations behind the photovoltaic effect can be quite over whelming, but you don’t have to be a scientist in order to utilize todays photovoltaic cells. And with today’s technology higher conversion efficiencies can be achieved and this makes them practical to use for a power supply.

With the improvements made in recent years, solar power can supplement the power that is received from the grid and reduce your energy bill. While it is not sufficient to power a large appliance like a stove, or an air conditioner; smaller appliances will be able to utilize it. Or if you like, you could become completely independent from the grid with a combination of solar, wind and battery power.

By: Mary Philips

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Today there are many sources of information about building your own solar panels to reduc
1000
e your energy cost. To learn how to reduce your energy bill go to

Technorati Tags: solar cell technology, Solar Future, \