1) What are Solar Panels?
Solar Panels, also called photovoltaic (PV) panels, convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV gets its name from the process of converting light (photons) to electricity (voltage), which is called the PV effect. They are marvelously simple, effective, and durable. They stand in the sun and, with no moving parts, can run your appliances, charge your batteries, or make energy for the utility grid.
2)What are Economical Aspect of Going Solar?
3) What are Environmental Aspect of Solar Project?
4) What are components of Solar Project?
Solar Panels
There are mainly 3 types of solar panels, namely; Mono-Crystalline, Poly-Crystalline, and Thin-film. Poly-crystalline are most used panels in India, due to their cost-effectiveness.
Mounting equipment
Mounting your PV panels is of critical importance. First, you need to mount the panels where they can get maximum sunshine over the course of a year. But the more difficult problem is to mount them with enough integrity that they’ll stay put for 25 years or more.
The Inverter
The electric current that is produced through Solar Panel is Direct Current (DC). However, mains electricity is alternating current (AC) where the flow of electricity changes direction 50 times a second. To make the electricity supplied by solar power suitable for use in domestic homes, a device is needed that converts DC current to AC current, and this device is called an inverter. An inverter works in a very simple way, using a series of switches which are known as “solid state switches†that “flips†the DC current backwards and forwards 50 times a second, to create the AC current.
Battery (Optional)
Not all solar power systems have a battery, but some systems that produce more electricity than is needed for the premises, may have a battery connected to store this excess energy, especially where grid is not available or is not reliable.
However “Net-metering†policy is the best alternative to deploying batteries as it allows you to send excess power back to the grid and you can use it when you are in deficit.
These are the basic components of any solar energy system and as you can see, solar power is not a complex energy system – the cells create DC current, the inverter changes it to AC current, and you simply start using the power on a day to day basis.
1) What are LEDs?
LEDs are light emitting diodes. These devices are electronic components that convert electrical energy directly to light through the movement of electrons within the material of the diode. LEDs are beginning to replace most conventional light sources due to their efficiency and low energy usage.
2) What makes LEDs more robust than other light sources?
LEDs have no gases, filaments and no moving parts to fatigue. They provide light through a one-step process that takes place within the diode. There is no glass to break or screwed contacts to loosen.
3) How are LEDs different from other light sources in the way they produce light?
LEDs produce light by direct conversion of electrical energy to light energy. On the other hand incandescent light sources produce light by heating a filament until it grows red hot. Linear and compact fluorescent lamps use a UV discharge plus a phosphor to produce the light. HID lamps use the ionization of gases in a discharge tube which in turn produce photons.
4) Why do LEDs have a higher initial cost than conventional light sources?
LEDs are made of electronic components that need to be packaged together to offer long lasting efficient light sources to the end user. Apart from the LED chip itself which has sapphire and gallium in the semiconductor, the process of packaging with materials like ceramic, rare earth phosphors, silicone, solder and gold wire add to the overall cost. White LEDs require further tests for calibration and standardization.
5) What are the economic advantages of using LEDs over conventional light sources?
Although the initial cost of conventional light sources is less than LEDs, the operational and maintenance costs of LED are significantly lower. LEDs, having a longer life, reduce maintenance and lamp replacement cost. Because LEDs need to be replaced less frequently, the owner spends less on new lamps and the labor needed to change them. LEDs also consume less energy; thus the overall cost of a LED system can be significantly lower than that of conventional lighting systems. Most applications with LEDs have an attractive payback period.
6) Why do LEDs require power supply/drivers?
LEDs are low voltage devices. Therefore, they require a device / Power supply unit / driver, or integrated electronics that convert line voltage to low voltage in order to run the LEDs. Sometimes t he driver has electronics that can interpret control signals to dim LEDs.
7) Why LEDs are considered green technology?
LEDs are more efficient than most other light sources, so they usually consume less energy for a given task or at a spesific light output. Also, they do not contain hazardous materials such as toxic mercury. Moreover, LEDs have a longer lifespan and hence reduce the frequency of disposal of lamps.