As conventional energy sources such as oil, gas and coal continue to be depleted, it is important for us to find alternative solutions to meet our daily energy demands. As one of the most promising solutions, photovoltaic is becoming an established source of energy. Not only is solar energy clean and renewable, but it is also proven as a viable and fully commercialized solution.
Global Warming and Solar Energy
Global Warming is a devastating issue we cannot afford to ignore. According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the average Global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the last century. This seemingly insignificant increase in the average temperature can in fact have deadly impact on our globe. Studies have shown that increasing global temperature will cause sea levels to rise and will change the amount and pattern of precipitation, which may lead to the expansion of subtropical deserts. Some of the other environmental impacts include:
Continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice, especially in the Arctic region
Shrinkage of both the Amazon rainforest and Boreal forests
Increases in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events such as floods and typhoons
Heat waves
Drastic changes of agricultural yields
Extinction of various species extinctions
Millions of life affected as the result of these natural disasters
Global warming is one of today's greatest threats to mankind.
Endorsed by more than 40 scientific societies, the IPCC further concludes that global warming is, for the most part, contributed by the immense accumulation of greenhouse gases emitted by humans, namely carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gases are usually released as the byproducts during industrial processing and power generation through burning coal, gasoline and oil.
As one of the best forms of renewable energy sources, JA Solar believes that solar energy is the perfect solution to help alleviate global warming. Every day, the sun shines on earth and emits more than enough energy for everyone. Through photovoltaic technology, we can effectively convert this light energy from the sun into electricity and put into our daily use. Most importantly, solar energy is free of CO2 and essentially inexhaustible.
Why Solar Energy
There are so many other alternative energies out there, so why Solar?
Key Advantages over other Alternative Energy Technologies:
Solar products are fully commercialized
Solar is a renewable, clean energy source
Solar is reliable and maintenance free
Solar does not require new or complex infrastructure
Solar is a distributed form of energy generation
Solar power generation coincides with peak energy demand
Solar energy is attracting fund investing
Solar manufacturing supply is well defined
Solar shares a process improvement road map with the IC industry
How does Solar Power Work?
A solar cell is a device made of semiconductor materials (such as silicon) that converts the energy in sunlight into electricity. Solar cells are manufactured with a built-in electric field, so when sunlight strikes the cell, a portion of the light is absorbed by the semiconductor materials. The solar energy knocks electrons loose from their atoms, allowing electrons to flow freely. The built-in electric field forces electrons freed by light absorption to flow in a certain direction. This flow of electron generates electricity, which can be drawn off to power various objects. The conversion of sunlight (photons) to electricity (voltage) is called the photovoltaic effect.
In a PV system, these semiconductors are produced in the form of cells, which are then assembled in a structural panel. There are many different types of panels available, and each has its particular advantages. Depending on the amount of electricity needed, these panels can then be connected in an array of any size to provide the electricity needed for a home, office, or larger facility.
Solar cells are usually small and only produce a couple of watts of power. To produce usable energy, many cells are strung together to make a module. Multiple modules are connected into an array, which are connected to a load (like a light bulb). Through the wiring the electrons have a chance to flow through the whole loop back to the layer that lost its electrons in the first place.
The electric current, as this flow is called, has done its work, making light and heat in the light bulb.
Future
Solar energy is the perfect alternative energy solution. Not only is it renewable and clean, but it is also reliable and essentially inexhaustible. More importantly, solar products are fully commercialized with many firms around the world competing in the industry. Furthermore, as more governments around the globe offer subsidies, the global demand of solar power has been enjoying tremendous growth in the past years. A faster growing pace in the coming years has been predicted by lots of experts in this industry.
PV cells and panels can be manufactured and installed at almost any scale. As a result, they are used to power a broad variety of things. At its smallest, PV can power calculators, laptop computers, and other appliances. At its largest, it can power homes, offices, and other buildings that use large amounts of electricity. PV cells can also be connected from these buildings to provide power to the electric grid, increasing the diversity of our collective electricity sources.
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