03-08-2013, 02:20 PM
1 MW Solar Power Plant
Solar Power.pptx (Size: 2.1 MB / Downloads: 103)
Why Solar Power?
Overuse of fossil fuels has wrecked the environment
We are running out of fossil fuels anyway
Solar energy is green
Sustainable
Abundant
Limited only by our technology
Harnessing Solar Power
Done in two ways
Photovoltaics, or the use of arrays of solar panels to convert solar energy directly into electricity
Solar-Thermal Energy, which uses the solar energy to drive steam turbines.
STE has been found to be more effective
Photovoltaics
Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.
A solar is an electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect.
Currently the best achieved sunlight conversion rate (solar panel efficiency) is around 21%
Solar-Thermal Energy
Solar thermal energy (STE) is an innovative technology for harnessing solar energy for thermal energy (heat) using the practices of CSP.
STE is different from and much more efficient than photovoltaics.
In STE solar energy is used to heat molten salt which is then used to produce steam and drive steam turbines.
Has shown efficiencies up to ~31%
Making a Power Plant Efficient
Using STE instead of PV
Using more efficient solar cells
Maintaining proper temperature
Solar cells track the suns movement
Proper maintenance
Large scale projects