Super Fun Science

Solar Power is power that can light up your house,  heat your pool and do other power generating functions with the energy that comes from the sun.  So If the power generated comes from the sun, does this mean that you will not have power to light up your house during the night or during cloudy days?  Of course not!  Electric solar power can be stored in batteries just like all other electricity so you can use these batteries to reserve power for use at night or when direct sunlight is compromised, like during cloudy days.

Solar power is definitely cool but how does it work?

Electric solar power is generated by trapping the energy from the sun with the use of special molecular compounds.  A basic solar electric system is constructed with the following:

• Glass Cover, the glass that traps the energy rays. However, because the glass cover may be too reflective, there is a chance that the energy will escape.
• An antireflective coating, this avoid the light energy rays from the sun reflecting away
• A contact grid.  This is a metallic sheet that shortens the distance that the energy rays may need to travel.  Electricity is hampered by resistance while it travels and energy is lost so the shorter the distance the better.
• Then the most important part we need is the solar crystals that emit electrons when light hits them.  These can be made from a few different materials.  The base material is usually silicon, the same element that is glass and white sand.  However, pure silicon is a bad conductor and thus another element needs to be added to make it a better conductor.  Here are a few types that are typically used:
  • N-type Silicon, these are negative charged silicon or N-type doped silicon.  It is silicon that is combined with phosphorous to make it a better conductor.
  • P-type Silicon, positive charged silicon otherwise known as P-type silicon. P-type silicon is boron doped to make it an electricity conductor.

When sunlight hits these compounds their electrons get exicted and the difference between the top and the bottom of the cell is what gives you electricity.  It’s like a battery that uses sunlight instead of chemicals to work.

You will need plenty of roof space and a roof angle to ensure that you can trap the most energy rays from the sun.  If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere you would want to set them up facing South if possible because when winter comes the sun rises and sets in that direction more than in the summer.

Photovoltaic tiles work by converting the energy from sunlight into a clean form of electricity with no smoke or chemicals pumped into the atmosphere like a coal-fired electricity plant creates.  In 2008 the installation of solar power onto your home can be very expensive at first but it only takes a few years to see the savings.  If your electricity is coming from your roof then you don’t have to buy it from the power company and if you get alot of sun you can even sell it back to them!

September 3rd, 2008 | Tags: Alternative Energy, Electricity, Kids, Solar Power | Category: Chemistry, Physics, Technology | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL