When you flip your light switch on you probably dont think twice about how that light

is powered, but if you trace it all the way back, youll probably see that it comes from a coal or gas resource used to put power all over the world. Although the convenience of simply flipping a switch is one that almost everyone enjoys now, it wont be so convenient in the future when these power systems stop working.

Solar energy, on the other hand, is a renewable resource which means that as long as its replaced, it will continue to provide. For example: trees. If someone cuts down a tree and then plants a new one to take the place of the tree which was cut down, then this is a renewable resource. Unfortunately, theres no way to replace the coal and gas that we rely on now for power. There are ten advantages to using solar energy in your home. First and for most, solar energy is renewable so you never have to worry that the sun will not produce light. As long as the sun shines there will be a source of energy. And if it ever stops shining, well, weve got much bigger problems! The sun is 150 million km from the earth and is 5 billion years old The temperature of the sun ranges from 6000 degrees Celsius at its surface to 10 million degrees Celsius at its centre. It takes about 8 minutes for the light energy to touch the earth. The sun is a star made up of hydrogen and helium gas and it radiates an enormous amount of energy every second and it is clean.

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity Sunlight can be converted directly into electricity using photovoltaics (PV) SOLAR POWER PLANTS utilises vast quantities of solar cells to convert photons contained within the sunrays into electricity. This process is one of the best & most efficient thermal systems in our reach. This varies depending on the type of material in use, but the main principle is that the solar semiconductor contains electrons & when photons strike these electrons (if the photon had enough energy) then the electron would be transformed into a conduction electron w/c is capable of carrying an electric charge. ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR POWER Solar energy is great for the environment

 - It doesnt produce any nasty byproducts; solar cells will not emit any harmful gases that pollute the air. It doesnt produce any nasty byproducts; solar cells will not emit any harmful gases that pollute the air You can rely on renewable resource collectors such as solar panels A panel can produce thousands of hours of solar power with minimal maintenance. Solar power panels and other supplies can be purchased so you can create a self-sufficient home. There is no hum or noise that comes from any type of solar cell although there is a simple little noise, it is nothing like that which comes from a power plant in your back yard. You are able to control your cost more effectively with solar panels You have an initial expense when purchasing the tools and equipment to set up your solar power system, but it will pay off over time. You wont receive a monthly bill from the sun; simply flip on your switch and enjoy. Solar energy is always changing as more and more is being discovered. There are several solar panel kits so you can create a self-sustaining home no matter where you live. Solar panels can last over thirty years. Solar power gives you a return on your investment, while paying your utility for electricity gives you 0% return. It will let the world be alive in a half a century! Non-polluting, no carbon dioxide like fossil fuels When you use solar energy you are self-sufficient

This means that you no longer have service charges or other charges associated with your home. Consider selling your extra energy When your panels are large enough and generate more than enough power, your energy meter will actually spin backwards and the power company can then buy the extra from you if youre connected to the grid.

DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR POWER The initial cost is the main disadvantage of installing a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of the semi-conducting materials used in building one. Solar panels require quite a large area for installation to achieve a good level of efficiency

Only works when Sun is shining. solar power stations are best placed in hot deserts which are sometimes far away from the main electricity grid solar power doesn't work so well on cloudy days, so they aren't suitable for every country solar power doesn't work at night, so scientists are working on ways to store extra daytime energ

PHOTOVOLTAICS is a method of generating electrical power by converting radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect.

the term "photovoltaic" comes from the Greek (phs) meaning "light", and from "Volt", the unit of electro-motive force, the volt, which in turn comes from the last name of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta, inventor of the battery (electrochemical cell). The term "photovoltaic" has been in use in English since 1849. Photovoltaics were initially used to power small and medium size applications from the calculator powered by a single solar cell, it also power ordinary electrical equipment for example household appliances, computers & lighting. PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT is the creation of voltage or electric current in a material upon exposure to light is the process by which electrical current in the form of voltage is created when electromagnetic radiation is exposed to a certain material PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER GENERATION employs solar panels composed of a numbers of solar cells containing a photovoltaic material. Materials presently used for photovoltaics include monocrystalline silicon, multicrystalline silicon, thick-film silicon, amorphous silicon. SOLAR PANEL is a device assembled of photovoltaic cells that converts sunlight into electricity. When constructing solar panels developers need to assure that the cells are connected electrically to one another and to the rest of the system. Photovoltaic cells also need to be protected from moisture and mechanical damage because this can significantly damage efficiency of solar panel, decreasing its expected lifespan.

Solar panels usually have lifespan of 20+ years in which time the owner of solar panel should not experience a significant decrease in efficiency Solar panels are very grateful in terms of maintenance because there are no moving parts. The only thing you have to worry about is to make sure to remove all items that may be blocking sunlight to your solar panel. SOLAR CELLS OR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS is a device that converts light into electric current using the photoelectric effect. These cells are thin semiconductors such as silicon that are given a positive and negative charge.

HISTORY OF SOLAR CELL The first solar cell was constructed by Charles Fritts in the 1880s.In 1931 a German engineer, Dr Bruno Lange, developed a photo cell using silver selenide in place of copper oxide.] Although the prototype selenium cells converted less than 1% of incident light into electricity, both Ernst Werner von Siemens and James Clerk Maxwell recognized the importance of this discovery. Following the work of Russell Ohl in the 1940s, researchers Gerald Pearson, Calvin Fuller and Daryl Chapin created the silicon solar cell in 1954. PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT electrons are ejected from a materials surface upon exposure to radiation. This ejection of electrons results in the build-up voltage creating energy that can be in a battery cell. BENEFITS OF USING SOLAR CELL TECHNOLOGY The very first benefit of using this technology is that solar energy is renewable. The sunlight will neither deplete over a period of time, nor will there be any power outages. Relatively, fossil fuels are going to run out in a few decades. Since the sun is a reliable source of power, your home and appliances are going to be powered by Solar cells almost forever. The very first benefit of using this technology is that solar energy is renewable. The sunlight will neither deplete over a period of time, nor will there be any power outages. Relatively, fossil fuels are going to run out in a few decades. Since the sun is a reliable source of power, your home and appliances are going to be powered by Solar cells almost forever. Another advantage offered by this technology is that solar panels are highly durable and reliable. These systems dont have any moving systems and hence they dont require any replacement. You can use Solar cell technology to generate thousands of hours of electricity with minimal maintenance. Almost every energy source creates some sort of noise, but that is not the case with solar panels and cells

 it is always growing in terms of improvements and usage. More and more homeowners and businesses are starting to make solar power an integral part of their power source. And, this is also contributing to bring down the price of this technology. Once you have installed a solar power system in your home, you are completely independent of the power grid. You dont have to depend upon the unreliable services of the utility company. You are going to be independent and self sufficient for your power requirements. You would no longer be paying any electricity bills or having to deal with constant power outages and breakdowns. CHARGE CONTROLLER limits the rate at which electric current is added to or drawn from electric batteries. It prevents overcharging and may prevent against overvoltage, which can reduce battery performance or lifespan, and may pose a safety risk. It may also prevent completely draining ("deep discharging") a battery, or perform controlled discharges, depending on the battery technology, to protect battery life