Design And Implementation Of A Solar Panel

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGOUND OF THE PROJECT
Solar power and solar panels are getting a lot of attention as part of the solution to our energy crisis. Solar energy, also called photovoltaic energy, is undergoing rapid changes. solar cells are very thin, about 1/100th of an inch thick and usually 3 to 4 inches square. These cells convert sunlight to energy by the photovoltaic effect (we will discuss this effect in detail in a later article). These cells do not require fuel and have a standard lifetime of 20-30 years.
Photovoltaic (PV) cells are assembled together to create a solar module. The module is what you are used to seeing as a panel. It has anywhere from 2 to 200 cells assembled together, encased in tempered glass and aluminum to make them weather resistant.
Like batteries, cells can be combined in series or in parallel to create larger and more specific voltages and amperages. For instance, four 1-volt/1-amp cells in series will combine for 4 volts, but the amperage will stay at 1 amp. By contrast, four 1-volt/1-amp cells in parallel will maintain 1 volt but have 4 amps of output. You can multiply the amperage by the wattage (in the example above 4 x 1) to get the watts generated. A watt is a measure of energy (think of a 40-watt light bulb).
Modules can be made in a many sizes and shapes to fit their application. Panels come in standard rectangular, triangular, foldable, and even thin-film rolls. This means they can be used in a wide variety of applications, from boats and rv’s to electric cars and space stations.
Modules are combined to create solar arrays. An array is a group of modules assembled together and designed to meet a certain electrical load. You’ve probably seen most arrays mounted on the rooftops of homes. These arrays are designed to generate a certain amount of electricity over the course of a year.
Generally solar modules convert about 10-15% of the energy that strikes them into electricity. This means that for every 100 units of energy that actually hit the panel, only 15 of them actually enter the home as electricity. This is the biggest area of research now, as scientists recognize that significant advancements in solar efficiency will lead to cheaper solar energy.
Panels generate direct current (DC) electricity. Think of a garden hose that is simply turned on produces water in a steady stream. Most household electronics and the electrical power grid are designed to take alternating current (AC) power. Now imagine that the water of coming out of the garden hose is being turned off and on so quickly that it has a “pulse”. This is done because AC power travels over long distances much more efficiently.
This means however, that the electricity coming out of the solar array must be converted to AC if it is going into your home. This is done with an inverter, which takes the DC power and makes AC power. The power is then ready to service your home, an electrical grid, or a device. Some devices (certain lights, batteries, special devices) use DC power and therefore do not need an inverter.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
In the last decade, Nigeria’s major energy sources include wood, coal, oil, gas, tar sands, and hydro power. The level of production and utilization of these energy sources has changed considerably because of higher production and maintenance cost, intensive labour involved. Due to these problem solar energy was invented which produces renewable energy from the sun through polar panel – which converts energy from the sun to electrical energy.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objective of this project is to describe how solar energy works and to design a device that can be used to convert solar energy to electric energy.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Currently solar panels are used to provide hot water (solar thermal) and heating to homes and small ensembles. You tried to build solar power plants, using turbines, convert the stored heat into electricity, but these experiments have failed substantially to the low yield of these power relationships with high operating costs and the interruption of electricity supply (but see As for the panels that the concentration of last generation). The photovoltaic panels are used mainly to power devices away from electrical networks (space probes, the phone repeaters in the mountains, etc.) or with reduced energy requirements so that a connection to the grid would be uneconomical (light road signs, parking meters, etc.) and improper from an organizational perspective. Obviously, these devices must be equipped with batteries that can accumulate the electricity produced in excess during the day to power the equipment at night and during cloudy periods.
With current technology photovoltaic panels are also sensitive to infrared radiation (invisible) of solar radiation and therefore produce power even in case of cloudy weather and rain. The amount of energy delivered is variable and unpredictable, this discontinuity makes it difficult to meet demand at all times current, less than a production with a wide safety margin above the peak annual demand.
So are solar and wind energy plants provide intermittent intermittently, but since the peak of production of solar energy systems in the summer it can offset the increased domestic demand due to air conditioners. The installation of photovoltaic panels has had its greatest development in Germany thanks to favorable legislation for which the producer sells the excess energy to the electricity supplier, which buys it at the same price per kWh. In practice, the city pays the bill the difference between what consumers and provides the body electric.

1.5 ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR POWER
• The energy and heat from the sun is free and unlimited.
• Solar power is non-polluting. Solar power usage does not emit any greenhouse gases or harmful waste.
• Solar power is perfect and saving for power generation in remote areas or where the cost of expansion utility grid is high.
• Solar power is versatile. It can be used for low-power purpose as well as larger ones – from hand-held calculators, watches, and solar powered garden lights to water heaters, cars, buildings and satellites.
• Solar power system requires very little maintenance and last for many years.

1.6 APPLICATIONS OF SOLAR ENERGY
• Daylighting
The oldest solar application is daylighting. Daylighting system collects and distributes sunlight to provide effective internal illumination inside buildings. Daylighting design implies careful selection of window types, sizes and orientation may be considered as well. There are also other architectural features such as light shelves and even active sun tracking system which combine with fiber optics or mirrors to provide light to interior of large buildings.
• Solar Thermal
Solar thermal technologies can be used for water heating in homes or commercial and space heating or space cooling for buildings. Solar water heating systems use different type of collectors to gather and store the solar energy for heating water used in residential, commercial and industrial applications. For space heating and cooling in warm temperature region, the thermal mass materials is needed to keep building cool by absorbing solar energy during a day and radiate stored heat to cooler atmosphere at night. However they can be used in cold temperature areas to maintain warmth as well.
• Solar Electric Power Generation
Solar energy can be directly converted to electricity by photovoltaic cells. Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems provide electricity to home or business for lighting, TV, fan, computer, stereo, refrigerator, water pump or livestock feeders, without connection to utility grid. They are also used to power watches, calculators and sign lights.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT
The solar panels convert sunlight directly into electricity. These panels take advantage of the photoelectric effect and have a conversion efficiency of up to 32.5% in cells lab. In practice, once the modules from the cells and the modules and panels when assembled on site, the average efficiency is about 12%. These panels, with no moving parts or other things, require very little maintenance: in essence only be cleaned periodically. The estimated lifetime of the solar panels is about 30 years. The main defects of these systems are the cost of the panels and the storage of energy.
The second obvious problem with this kind of system is that energy is produced only during daylight hours and is not suitable for any situation, being a form of energy electricity hardly accumulate in large quantities. It should be noted however that the production of solar energy is more precisely at times of highest demand, ie during the day and in the warm seasons, during which can compensate for the increase in consumption due to ventilation and air conditioning and It is also rated 5kva.

1.8 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR PANELS
Advantages
Solar panels are clean – while generating electricity from sunlight, solar panels produce virtually no pollution, whereas burning fossil fuels releases large quantities of toxic gases into the atmosphere.
For the consumer, solar panels can free the individual from reliance on the power grid and the monopolistic energy supplier. Once you make the initial investment in hardware, you will have free electricity for years to come.
Fossil Fuels are limited – Although fossil fuel reserves are expected to run dry within the next century, solar power is clean, abundant, and will remain a renewable resource that can meet all of Earth’s energy needs for billions of years to come.
Disadvantages solar panels
Admittedly, while solar power is certainly much cleaner than the burning of fossil fuels, and moderately cleaner than the production of nuclear power, solar panels are very pricey and in many years demand for solar panels exceeds supply. When we ask ourselves – why are solar panels necessary, we must consider the costs of production as well as the costs of using much more harmful means of producing electricity. Solar Panels also require more square yardage per kilowatt for the power-generating facility than fossil fuel power plants or nuclear power.