Energy usage with chemical enginnering knowledge

Chemical engg applications in solar energy conversion
home made experiments for school students as well as for small scale industry's (for unemployed youth)

some of the useful links
solar basics
basics1

Basics of Solar Power

What is a solar cell and how does solar power work? Here you will find a simple introduction to the technology for the uninitiated.

What is a Solar Cell?

A solar cell or photovoltaic cell is a device which generates electricity directly from visible light by means of the photovoltaic effect. In order to generate useful power, it is necessary to connect a number of cells together to form a solar panel, also known as a photovoltaic module. There is more about the the different types of solar cell here. The nominal output voltage of a solar panel is usually 12 Volts, and they may be used singly or wired together into an array. The number and size required is determined by the available light and the amount of energy required.

Can the power be stored?

The amount of power generated by solar cells is determined by the amount of light falling on them, which is in turn determined by the weather and time of day. In the majority of cases some form of energy storage will be necessary.

It is possible to connect an array of solar panels to the mains to assist when the power required is greater than that being generated. The cost of this is offset by selling surplus power back to the electricity company when it is available.

This site, however, is concerned with self-contained systems where this is not possible. In this type of system the usual choice for energy storage is the lead-acid battery. Find out more about batteries here. The number and type of batteries is dependent on the amount of energy storage needed.

Power Control

No matter what, sometimes there will be too much power. Other times there won't be enough. The battery will be damaged if it is allowed to be overcharged or over discharged, so a controller is needed to protect it. Read more about controllers here.

The smallest systems may have only a few 12 Volt lights, but in bigger systems 230 Volts will probably be needed. An inverter is used to transform the low voltage DC generated by the solar panels into mains voltage AC.

Rationalising your energy usage is the next step to building a successful solar powered system.

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency saves you money. Where solar energy is concerned it saves even more money. This page will get you to think about how much energy you use. Whether it's solar energy or not, you can reduce what you pay for electricity.

Energy Optimisation

What do you think of when you hear about energy efficiency? Saving electricity of course. That's an important thing, but its just as important to use the best energy source for each purpose. This is especially important if your electricity is generated by solar energy.

What's the right energy source? Well it depends on two things; what is needed and what's available. For example, if you have a source of logs then that might be the best energy source for heating your living room.

Appropriate Energy

The biggest gains are usually to be found in lighting. Using the right sort of lamps in the right places can pay dividends for anybody, but especially for solar energy users. Click here to select the right sort of lights for you.

Think about what you use for heating. Not just for space heating, but cooking and water heating as well. Solar power may be no use for heating, but you may find that solar energy could help. Find out more about heating here.

Refrigeration and other appliances need to be carefully considered to reduce energy use. It stands to reason that the fewer appliances you have the less energy you will use, but if there's something you have to have, then a little thought can make all the difference.

Now you understand all about energy efficiency, you can start to design your solar power system.

System Design

Getting the design of the system right is key to ensuring both reliability of supply and minimum cost. A little time spent in accurate estimation of energy consumption and planning the installation wil pay dividends in the future. The calculators on this page will help in the process of builing the optimum solar power system for your needs.

Solar Panel Sizing

If you followed the advice in the energy section, you will have reduced your electrical energy requirements to a bare minimum. The next stage is to use these to calculate the daily energy requirement. Start the loads calculator and follow the instructions to calculate your daily energy requirement.

Next, start the array size calculator. Enter the daily energy requirement and select the seasons you will be using it in. The result tells you the amount of solar generation needed in Watts peak. For example, if the answer is 100 Wp, then you need two 50 Watt solar panels, five 20 Watt panels or any other combination that adds up to 100 Watts. The actual panels to be used may be determined by their availability, the area available to you or other considerations.

Now you can size the battery. First you have to decide on the system voltage. A simple rule of thumb is this: If there are 12 Volt loads or it's a small system (a few hundred Watts), make it 12 Volt. Otherwise make it 24 Volt. Only think about 48 Volts if you have telecoms equipment to power or it's a very big system, at least 1 kW (1000 Watts).

To size the battery, use the battery calculator. You'll need to use the daily energy requirement calculated earlier.

Only one big thing left; cable. If the major components are a long way from each other or the loads, you may need substantial cable to avoid loss of power. Decide where the components are going and use the cable calculator to work out the size of the major cables.

Other Components

Now that the major system components are in place, all that remains is the simple matter of sizing the:

• Charge Controller
  and
• Inverter

It is possible to do without a charge controller only if the battery is very large relative to the solar panel array. An example is the "Battery Saver" panels designed to plug into a car cigarette lighter. Otherwise, add up the short-circuit current of the solar panel array and use the next largest controller.

Apart from a few wiring tips, you are now ready to buy the parts.

Wiring Tips

If you have electrical experience then wiring up your solar power system should be strightforward. Although the wiring is likely to be more complicated than normal mains wiring, all the principles involved are the same. This page gives an outline of the differences between this type of wiring and normal wiring.

Caution:If you are at all unsure of your abilities please employ a qualified electrician, preferably one with experience of wiring renewable energy systems.

DC Wiring

The DC wiring may be the whole system or confined to the battery room. Every system is different, but I have provided example wiring diagrams for a typical 12 Volt lighting system and 230 Volt system to help with the wiring design. The cable sizes can be calculated using the calculator on the design page but be aware that the low-voltage DC cables will need to be larger than you are used to. Normal mains wiring accessories can usually be used at their rated current at up to 30 Volts DC. You will also need some specialised low-voltage parts such as battery clamps which can be obtained from automotive wiring suppliers.

AC Wiring

The AC wiring is just the same as in any mains installation. It is very important that the manufacturer's instructions are closely followed when installing the inverter, especially with regard to earthing requirements. Always ensure that the AC and DC circuits are kept entirely separate.

Useful Links

Links to various solar power resources and suppliers, sorted by category. If there is something you would like to see here, if you are a supplier or information source then please submit a link to this page.

If you would just like to link to this site then go right ahead.

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Supplier of solar water heater in China. The products are including thermal solar water heater and split solar water heater.

Greenworks Renewable Energy Solutions
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Roadpro
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County Battery
Suppliers of a wide range of batteries including leisure and deep-cycle types.

Infinigi - Infinite Energy Solutions
A renewable energy company that provides exceptional customer service and offer aggressive prices on solar panels, wind turbines, charge controllers, inverters, and other renewable and energy efficient products.

Solar Panels - Based in Essex UK
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Bright Light Solar Ltd UK
Suppliers of solar panels, charge controllers, batteries, refrigerators, lighting. Design & supply with 20 years experience.

Energy Force Ltd
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Midnight Sun Innovations LLC
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Solarthermie24.de
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California Solar Electric Company
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NATURAL LANDSCAPES LTD
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Energy Development Co-op Limited
UK based solar & wind power specialists, supplying mainly small commercial stand-alone power systems, typically for remote lighting, data collection & telecoms.

Cirkits
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NJ Solar Solutions
Solar Power & Energy - NJ Solar Solutions Inc. specializes in solar powered electric installations with a partnership with BP Solar Energy and Home Depot.

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Advanced Power Products, a full stocking supplier of solar batteries, aircraft batteries, marine batteries, and rv batteries.

Midsummer Energy
We sell solar panels, regulators and other components of renewable energy systems.

Bright Green Energy
Based in Beckenham, Kent, we sell a wide range of solar panels, wind turbines and renewable energy products.

SkyLineSolar
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4 Elements Renewable Energy Products
4 Elements provide a wide range of solar and wind powered products. All our branded quality products such as Sharp, Schüco, Rolls Batteries, BP Solar, Exide, Victron, Marlec, Studer etc… come with extensive manufacturers guarantees giving you peace of mind and protecting your investment. The renewable energy industry in the UK is now beginning to grow and as new renewable power technology comes on stream we will continue to add to our portfolio. So bookmark www.4elements-uk.com in your favourite browser or call us on 01844 210960.

Alpha Solar The renewable energy resource
We provide cost effective , state of the art , efficient renewable energy products, accessories and complete electric systems for homes, cabins, boats, remote site and back-up power at very competitive prices.

Wavemaker Energy Saving
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Solar Energy - Soul-er for Solar
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Solar Fusion Ltd
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BeaconTron
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AES Solar Systems
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China Solar Power ,Solar Water Heating, Wind energy -Heat Pipe Solar Collector for Eu market.
We are a supplier of evacuated solar water heaters, heat pipe and u pipe solar collectors,separated water tanks, evacuated glass solar tubes, solar pv panels, wind generator, and wind energy products. We are the manufacturer and exporter of high quality solar water heating collectors for Europe.

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Solar Panels Plus LLC
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