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Researchers Develop A Method to Improve the Solar Cell Efficiency

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You may hear the word efficiency been thrown around a lot when discussing solar energy. Currently, the low solar panel efficiency is the number one reason why consumers resist adopting solar energy. The solar panels available in the market today possess an efficiency of around 14% to 18%.  Researchers have spent the majority of their efforts in increasing the efficiency of the solar panels. New experiments reveal that researchers are on the cusp of something new.

Before revealing how researchers are tackling the issue of low efficiency, let’s first understand what is solar efficiency and the basic understanding of how solar panels work.

What Is Solar Efficiency?

Solar panel efficiency is the amount of energy a solar cell can convert when it interacts with sunlight into usable electricity. These solar cells are tightly packed in a rectangular box designed to attract sunlight. For additional information about solar panel manufacturing, you can visit the blog How Are Solar Panels Manufactured? The Ultimate Guide.

The measurement of efficiency can be done easily if the efficiency of a solar panel is termed as 20% efficient, it means it can convert 20% of the energy received from the sunlight.

Researchers Develop A Method to Improve the Solar Cell Efficiency

How Does a Solar Panel Work?

In simple terms, the solar panel works by allowing photons to interact with the silicon particles releasing electrons resulting in the flow of electricity. They are usually comprised of a number of photovoltaic cells (Photovoltaic simple means converting the energy of a photon to electricity)

Ground Breaking Research to Increase Solar Efficiency

 #1 Development of New Process to Improve the Efficiency of DSSC (Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell)

Dye-sensitized solar cells are third-generation solar cells which convert any visible light into electrical energy. DSSC is a disruptive technology which can be used to create electricity even in low light conditions, indoors and outdoors, enabling you to convert both natural and artificial light.

The DSSC holds a lot of promise because of their environmental benefits. But the current DSSC technology has a very low light to electricity conversion ratio. The new process addresses this inefficiency.

The first generation silicon-based solar cells have a high efficiency of 26% but they are not economical. Second generation thin-film solar cells comprising semiconductors have comparable efficiencies with a similar price range. The third generation DSSC solar cells have low efficiency, with lower cost and less environmental impact.

Researchers recently introduced holmium oxide, a powerful paramagnetic material into the anode of a DSSC cell and applying an external magnetic field. The experiment showed a spike inefficiency.

However, the application of magnetic field consumes a lot of external energy because the electromagnets themselves require an external power source for functioning.  Researchers then replaced holmium oxide with iron oxide magnetic particles which produce a magnetic field internally. Even this experiment witnessed a spike inefficiency.

The dye molecule absorbs the light energy in DSSC and causes the electron to jump to titania and then the external circuit, which results in the flow of electrons and thus electricity.

Researchers Develop A Method to Improve the Solar Cell Efficiency

#2 A New Way to Strike High Energy Photons to the Silicon Material

Traditional solar energy panels have an absolute low-efficiency mechanism. In principle, a single photon could only extract one silicon electron, irrespective of the energy it possesses.

Researchers have now developed a way to strike high energy photon and knock out two electrons instead of one.

 How Do Photons and Electrons Interact?

The energy from the photons can be absorbed or released by electrons. When an electron absorbs a photon, it gains the energy to release itself and move freely in the vacuum chamber or it can release the energy as another photon. Solar panels absorb energy from electrons to generate electricity.

Researchers Split the Absolute Photon’s Energy

The present silicon solar cells have a theoretical maximum efficiency of 29%. As mentioned earlier, no matter how energetic the photon is, the principle is to extract only one electron. The new process developed by researchers involves extracting two electrons from a single energy photon by using a phenomenon called “excited states”

What is an Exited State?

When an electron temporarily achieved a state higher than its original ground state, the phenomenon is known as the excited state of an electron. An electron can become excited when supplied from an external energy source such as packets of photons or light.

In excitons, when the packets of energy travel like electrons in the circuit, you can use them to change the amount of energy they possess – you can cut them or you can combine them to gain the required output.

Researchers Develop A Method to Improve the Solar Cell Efficiency

The researchers were successful in carrying out a singlet exciton fission, which allows a single photon of sunlight to be split into two individual packets of energy.

First, the material absorbs light energy and enter into an exciton state that rapidly undergoes fission and splits the photon into two energy packets, each one possessing half the energy of the original photon.

The next task researchers had was to combine these packets of energy with silicon electrons, a material that is not excitonic. A layer of hafnium oxynitride acts as an intermediate layer for the excited states to transfer two electrons to the silicon material.

Theoretically, this produces a much greater energy output than the traditional solar panels. Currently, the theoretical efficiency lies around 29%, this process is promising a jump to 35%.

The next hurdle is to optimize the silicon cell to adapt this process and hence the commercial application of this new technology may take a few years.

The efficiency of the solar cells is the biggest hurdle in the widespread acceptance of this clean renewable source. With the advent of new technology, promises around solar efficiency are taking a new and exciting turn. If successful, solar energy could really become the future fuel as predicted by many energy experts.

The two new methods of enhancing the existing efficiency of solar panels look promising. The best thing about these technologies is that it doesn’t require any additional accessories since the research is been done at an atomic level with few chances of getting affected by any external factors.

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How To Combine Solar and Geothermal Energy Sources?

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We discuss a lot about solar energy and why not? Currently, it is the only hope for humanity in terms of energy resources. But is unfair to not discuss other renewable energies. Yes, other renewables are currently not as human-friendly as solar energy but they are surely making progress. When it comes to switching to renewables, homeowners always prefer solar energy panels. They are effective when powering appliances like fan, TV, cooler and other household appliances. Heating, on the other hand, requires additional energy which is beyond the capacity of solar energy panels a homeowner has installed.

So instead of making a substantial investment to add additional power generator in your solar panels, you have alternatives. One such alternative is Geothermal energy. When you pair a geothermal system with your solar energy panels, you could enjoy the benefits of both. A combined system has a variety of advantages which cannot be harnessed individually.

Before we begin telling you how you can combine these two systems, lets first understand what is geothermal energy.

What is Geothermal Energy?

In layman’s term, geothermal energy is the heat from the earth. It’s clean and renewable. Resources of geothermal energy range from shallow groundwater to hot water and hard rocks found at the bottom of the earth’s crust.

Hot dry rocks occur at a depth of 5000m to 8000m everywhere beneath the earth’s surface and at lesser depths at certain areas. Access to these resources involves injecting cold water down one well and circulating it around the hot rocks and pumping out hot water from another well. 

What is Geothermal Heat Pump?

Geothermal heat pumps (GHP’s) also known as ground-source heat pumps can be used to circulate both hot and cold water to or from the ground.

Geothermal pumps can be used irrespective of weather condition because of the earth’s constant temperature below the earth’s surface. 

How To Combine Solar and Geothermal Energy Sources?

Why Homeowners Should Combine Solar and Geothermal system?

A geothermal heat pump circulates cold water through the pipes deep below the ground. The liquid absorbs heat from the hot fractured rocks and returns to the pump at the surface level. Allowing you to obtain a clean, renewable and eco-friendly source of energy. But one disadvantage of the geothermal pump is that it runs on electricity and therefore we cannot call it a 100% eco-friendly option.

But if you coupled a geothermal pump with the solar PV system, your solar panels could generate electricity for your geothermal heat pump at a relatively lower cost. When these two systems work coherently, a homeowner can reach new heights of efficiency, reducing both the environmental impact and energy expenses.

In terms of energy savings , this combined system will save almost 80% of energy on hot water, cold water and air-conditioning. Recent advancement in solar and geothermal technologies has given birth to the new smaller heat pumps like mini split systems.

Mini-split systems are a newer and advanced level of geothermal heat pumps which allow a homeowner to heat or cool only selected rooms. This selective approach is less expensive than a centralized system since most homeowners prefer conditioning only specific rooms.

Given the benefits of this combined system, many homeowners are preferring this system. But at the same time, if you are planning to install this hybrid energy system, you need to take a strategic approach. Here is what you need to do when opting for both solar and geothermal combined system. 

How To Combine Solar and Geothermal Energy Sources?

How Can Homeowners Use a Combined System?

If you are planning to own a renewable energy system, you should probably start with the geothermal system. We know solar is the most popular option but solar panel installation will be much effective if you plan to combine the systems. Many homeowners who choose to invest in a combined system start with a geothermal heat pump. In doing so, they can immediately reduce their heating and cooling costs while getting a feel for renewable energy. Once they have a little more history on their actual electrical usage, they purchase solar panels.

If you purchase solar panels before the geothermal installation, you may need to carry out some extra expenses. You will require far less energy with solar panel once you install the geothermal system. If you are planning to combine these systems, we advise you to install a geothermal pump first.

We know that these suggestions may become irrelevant if you already have a solar panel installation in place. The status of your roof is also crucial, we advise you to repair the rooftop before you move forward with the combined system.

Many homeowners are concerned with the one-time cost that comes with installing these two options in a combined system. The government has already accounted for the expenses of solar energy panels, adoption of geothermal will give you more tax benefits, making them more accessible.

In short, we advise you to carefully weigh all the options before you decide to combine these options. If you are careful about how you implement these changes, we are sure that you will end up making some excellent financial benefits and your transformation to these combined systems will be as smooth as possible. We just recommend you to explore in great detail before you dive into action. 

How To Combine Solar and Geothermal Energy Sources?

Step By Step Procedure to Incorporate Geothermal and Solar panel system correctly in your home 

1. Ensure a Tight Thermal Envelope: 

A home with a tight thermal envelope will ensure the highest efficiency for this system. The most important thing is to have the right type of insulation. Which is measured by the R-value. The R-value is the resistance offered by the insulation for thermal changes. Foam and cellulose insulation are the most popular ones maintaining zero air tolerance. There are different sealant options to prevent air leaks around your home. We suggest using spray foam, caulk, or weather stripping (depending on what structure you\’re sealing) for windows, walls, fireplaces, etc. Making the home airtight and investing in the right insulation is the first step in creating the perfect environment for high efficiencies and optimum performance for home heating and cooling.

2. Install your geothermal system: 

If you insulate your home correctly with proper air sealers, the size of your geothermal pump will decrease considerably. Since geothermal pumps use solar energy to heat and cool, they require much less energy to operate, saving you money in the end and ultimately make your home free from electrical utilities. geothermal drops the peak electric demand in summer months by at least 30 per cent, allowing for more of the national base load to be generated by renewable energies. Installing a geothermal system before PV solar will lower the energy demand in your home, which reduces the number of panels needed or creates a bigger budget to help power other parts of your home.

3. Installing Solar energy panels:

Since you have an airtight home, with good insulation, you have dropped the energy demands required by your home and hence the size of your solar PV system will be much smaller. If by chance you end up making more energy then required, contact your local utility company about the net metering offer. When installing a solar panel system, you need to consider many options like the size of the solar system, the area your rooftop avails, where your solar panels will be located, is ground mounting an option (If roof space is limited), Where is the least shaded spot on your roof or ground that will give optimal direct sunlight? Being aware of these questions will help you achieve 100% solar coverage and no utility bills…saving money, rewarding renewable investments, and helping improve comfort in your home (or building).  

The Efficiency of a Combined System 

The best thing about this combined system is its efficiency. The geothermal pump will perform best in the months of October to December, while solar energy panels perform their peak during the March to June. These weird peak values complement each other perfectly to give you a efficient energy system, ensuring that consumers will benefit throughout the year from this combination. 

Benefits of a Combined Energy System 

This combination of two renewables will definitely offer great value to the amount of money spent. Whereas it will deliver superior performance compared to your traditional utilities. Here are some of the benefits of this combined system

  • Can provide full-scale heating even in the winter season
  • Provide air-conditioning during the summer season at a very low cost compared to the HVAC systems
  • Ensure flexibility in terms of how much heat is generated. Since the temperature of rocks remain the same irrespective of the surface weather condition and hence the geothermal’s pump output will not be affected.
  • In the summer, the ground source heat pump would discard the excess of heat produced by the solar collectors and store a part of it for the winter.

Conclusion

As you move forward with these suggestions, you will discover a lot of new things along the way. You can take full advantage of this system if you know what exactly you are doing. Review your options and if you already have a dealer don\’t hesitate to  ask them any questions pertaining to the system.

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How Solar Energy Is Impacting Our Society in A Positive Way

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Solar energy is the fundamental source of energy for earth. All the energy forms we consume on earth are in one or the other way affected by solar energy. The root of all weather patterns lies in sun. Sunlight hits the equator directly and hence the region is hotter than the poles, resulting in major pressure difference. This pressure difference gives rise to wind energy. The sun is primarily responsible for evaporation of water and the rain cycle. Sunlight also plays an important part in photosynthesis and transpiration in plants and trees. Importance of sun in the natural resources was known even in the pre-historic period. But it was only a few decades ago that we were able to harness this solar energy to fulfill our daily needs. 

When Was The First Solar Panel Made?

 It was in 1839, that a scientist named Alexandre Edmond Becquerel observed the photovoltaic effect via an electrode in a conductive solution exposed to sunlight. But it was more than 100 years later on April 25, 1954, that Bell Labs announced the invention of first practical purpose solar panels. Since then, there has been continuous inventions and methods utilized to improve the efficiency of solar panels. 

Why Solar Is The Best Renewable Energy?

Usage of fossil fuels and other non-renewable sources of energy is harming the environment and causing a rise in global temperatures. Governments with various solar energy companies are trying to find a renewable and clean solution to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. Out of all the renewable sources available, solar is leading the renewable chart globally. It is a clean, sustainable, source of energy and can even be harnessed locally using small solar energy panels. It is due to this reason that solar energy has boomed in the last few decades.

Can Solar Energy Really Save The World In Future?

Yes, solar energy can really save the future;if the government, researchers and solar energy companies can find an efficient way to utilize solar energy and reduce our reliance on fossil fuel. Solar energy is already said as the energy of the future and continuous efforts are been made to make that happen.   

How Solar Energy Is Impacting Our Society? 

  • Solar energy reduces air pollution

Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases in the environment. The greenhouse gas is the reason why the earth temperature is rising at a dangerous pace. The gases get trapped in the earth’s atmosphere and absorb the outgoing heat from the planet – thus increasing the temperature. Solar energy doesn’t emit any greenhouse gas while producing energy. Many countries are trying to adopt solar energy as their primary source of energy. This will considerably reduce our carbon footprint. 

  • Conservation of resources

 Solar panels directly convert sunlight into usable energy; we don’t need any additional resources to harness this energy. Nuclear and coal power plants require gallons of water to convert the energy into usable form. Besides, solar panels don’t require any additional water to cool the solar apparatus and hence there won’t be any risk to local water bodies.  

  • Reduce the strain on non-renewable fuels

Earth only has a finite amount of non-renewable source of energy. As the global population is continuously rising, fossil fuels are depleting at a fast pace, as the global consumption of these resources is increasing day by day. It is vital for human existence to think about an alternative source of energy. Solar energy is abundant in nature and as we slowly adopt this infinite source, we need to find methods to increase its efficiency.  

  • Prevents the environment from getting affected by mining

 Majority of fossil fuels are obtained by deep mining and are often devastating to the local environment. Heavy equipment, waste products, and heavy disruption of local habitats often end up with devastating results. This also leads to soil pollution meaning that the land becomes barren and unsuitable for use once the mine is no longer for use. Mining is also dangerous for workers who work there. Hence using solar as the alternate fuel eliminates the danger for both miners and the environment.  

  • Jobs in the Solar sector

 The solar energy sector is more labor dependent than the fossil fuel sector and thus capable of providing more jobs per unit of energy produced. As the solar sector is booming, there is huge investment potential in this renewable sector. From research, manufacturing, distribution to installation, the network of each such channel will be reinvented once solar energy becomes the prime energy resource. 

  • Reduce our reliance on Nuclear fuel

Nuclear power plants do not emit any greenhouse gases while energy production but they are still a great threat to the environment. A nuclear fission reaction is unpopular because of all the radioactive waste it produces. The radioactive waste must be treated effectively before it is released in the atmosphere. This conversion of radioactive material takes a huge amount of energy and thus increases the cost of per unit of energy produced. Using solar energy will reduce our dependency on such nuclear fuels and help us create an environment free from radioactive waste.  

  • Generating Energy Independence

 Nations who are reliable on other countries for their energy supply are always beholden by their suppliers. Also the import duty increases the cost of energy produced. Solar energy is almost available to the better part of the world and hence capturing that energy will reduce a country’s dependency on other nations. Also, solar energy panels are robust in nature and the distribution network can effectively handle natural calamities like earthquake and hurricanes.

Conclusion

Solar energy is the future and hence it is beneficial for human society that they soon start adopting this form of energy. There are not many downsides for this renewable resource. The technology is flexible and can be produced both on a large and small scale. The versatility of solar technology is that they can be used to create panels for large solar energy fields and also small rooftop solar system for homes. Overall, substituting solar energy with fossil fuels will have a positive impact on our society.
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11 Interesting Facts about Solar Energy You Should Know

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Sun is a brilliant star shining from 4.6 billion years. But it was only a few decades ago, that humans were able to capture the benefits of this non-polluting renewable source. With the rising dangers of global warming and environment, harnessing solar energy has become vital for human existence. With rising fossil fuel consumption, the non-renewable energy sources are depleting at an alarming rate. Solar being an abundant source of energy is one of the brilliant alternatives available today. Sunlight is virtually necessary for all the processes occurring on our planet. From generating winds, transpiration in plants to producing electrical energy through solar panels, sunlight is harnessed both naturally and artificially. It is no doubt that solar energy is useful, but still we have a long way to go before we efficiently harness this source. Constant efforts are being made by the government, scientists and various solar companies to use sunlight to fulfill our daily demand. Here are 11 most interesting facts about solar energy that can make you realize the potential of this resource –
  1. Sunlight is a completely free source of energy and can be used in abundance. Solar cells absorb sunlight of a particular wavelength and convert it into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect. Electrons present in solar panels interact with photons present in sunlight at an atomic level. The resulting effect is that it releases a loosely bound electron which is captured and utilized to generate electricity.
  2. Solar technology can be primarily distinguished into two categories based on their application. One is active technology which comes in the form of solar panels and solar thermal conductors. Another form is passive technology, which uses solar energy to improve air circulation and orienting space to optimize the use of sunlight.
  3. Sun has the major responsibility of maintaining the accurate water cycle on earth. When solar energy hits the earth, the surface water from the sea and oceans gets heated up and vaporizes to form clouds. These clouds cause rain that brings back the water to the earth’s surface completing the water cycle.
  4. The distance between the earth and the sun is approximately 149 million kilometers. It takes sunlight about 8 minutes and 20 seconds to reach earth. In a single hour, the amount of solar energy striking the earth is enough to produce energy consumed by the world in a whole year. Each hour 480 Quintilian joules of energy is received by the earth. That is 18 zeros after 480! In comparison, humans consume around 410 Quintilian joules of energy per year.
  5. Solar panels are mostly made up of silicon-based materials; it is the most commonly used material in domestic solar panels. The efficiency of solar panels is a measurement of the amount of sunlight a solar panel can convert into usable electricity. The highest efficiency of solar panels we have achieved is about 23%. But the average efficiency of domestic solar panels falls between the ranges of 15-18%.
  6. Solar energy can be used in agriculture to power various processes. This application of solar is considered a prominent one in countries like India. As India is the land of villages, reliance on solar energy can help farmers to save money and avoid pollution. Agriculture uses solar both in a natural and artificial form. Naturally, farmers time their crops based on the season and availability of light and water. Artificially, solar power can be used to pump water for irrigation crops and powering equipment. Solar technologies can provide light, heat and ventilation for livestock and farmhouses.
  7. The majority of solar panels are systematically connected to the electricity grid. When your panels produce excess solar energy, the energy is supplied back into the grid. When your panels produce less than the required amount of solar energy, you can draw back the energy from the power grid. This process is known as net metering.
  8. The boom of solar energy in the last couple of decades has given rise to another technology: Solar Batteries, that can store extra energy produced by your solar panels. Installing a solar battery in your solar panel will avoid the unnecessary task of transferring excess solar energy to the power grid. In practical terms, you store the excess energy at your home and avoid the distribution loss occurred during transmission.
  9. Solar panels have a minimum of 20-25 years of life cycle. There are no dynamic parts involved and hence there are no recurring costs. This doesn’t mean that they become useless after 25 years. After that solar panels can be replaced with more developed technologies thus improving efficiency. Also, the house on which a panel is mounted will receive leverage when sold in the market. Homes with solar technologies tend to receive more value than non-solar based homes.
  10. Researchers are trying to replicate photosynthesis artificially. This is an attempt to replace fossil fuels with solar chemicals to make solar energy portable and storable. This is done by placing a photo-anode and a counter electrode in water-filled vessel. The photo-anode absorbs the sunlight and force the water to split into hydrogen and oxygen. This process is known as photoelectrolysis. This process doesn’t involve solar cells. Technology for producing hydrogen is a major aspect of chemical solar research.
  11. In the case of natural havoc, solar PV system is the fastest to deploy. A functioning solar energy plant can be built in a matter of weeks. No other renewable or non-renewable facility could be deployed in such a short span of time. This ability could empower us to better prepare for the climatic havocs that may hit us in the future.

Solar energy facts in a nutshell

Sun is a continuous beaming source of energy. It is out in the open and the only limitation we have is our will power to use this ball of fire to its maximum potential. With climate change happening rapidly, the adoption to this renewable source will decide how we function as humanity. As of now only a fraction amount of energy demand is fulfilled by solar energy, but the future promises are just mind-blowing.
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ISRO Develops Technology to Mass Produce Solar Cells in India

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Indian Space Research Organisation adds another feather to its cap.  Strengthening its position in the astronomical world, ISRO develops a technology to produce mass solar cells in India. These new solar cells are supposed to power Indian satellites and keep it alive in space.

Until now, India was dependent on the USA for importing the technology to power 180 of its satellites launched from 1975.

In July 2018, ISRO announced that they have imported the technology to mass produce solar cells and soon going to start the project with the help of several Indian industries.

What is Space-based Solar Power?

Space-based solar power is a concept of collecting solar power in space. Space crafts orbiting in the solar system usually rely on photovoltaic solar cells to derive electricity.

The advantage of using a solar-powered spacecraft includes a higher collection rate for a longer period of time. Due to lack of diffusion, the energy received by a solar panel in space is of high intensity.

A considerable amount of solar energy projected on earth is lost (nearly 55% – 60%) due to phenomena like reflection and absorption. Since the spacecraft collects energy outside of earth’s atmosphere, these losses are avoided, giving us a higher energy output.

Space crafts are built in such a way that solar panels can be pivoted as the satellite orbits in space. Such mechanisms will make the solar panels face the sun, no matter how the spacecraft is pointed.

The International Space Station also uses solar arrays to power everything on the station. The 262,400 solar cells cover around 27,000 square feet (2,500 m2) of space. There are four sets of solar arrays that power the station and the fourth set of array was installed in March 2009. 84 to 120 kilowatts of electricity can be generated from these solar arrays.

Reasons for importing the technology

The Government was keen on pushing the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Currently, India is totally dependent on the U.S. imports for all the major components used in building a spacecraft. Heavy tariff duties and import restrictions even on bulk products is making our space mission economically costly. Due to some reasons, if it gets impossible to import solar components, it can bring our whole space program to a halt. So, in order to reduce our dependency on imports, ISRO has decided to develop this technology at home.

For producing a small remote sensing satellite, nearly 1500 to 2000 solar cells are needed. For producing a communication satellite it needs nearly 10,000 to 15,000 solar cells. We used nearly 20,000 solar cells, to escape the heaviest satellite India ever produced – GSAT-11. ISRO needs to pay around 15 crores as import duty for every 10,000 solar cells they buy.

Bharat Electronics has been given the contract of mass producing solar cells using this technology. The production will take place at an ISRO facility at Bangalore under the supervision of ISRO scientists.

Another step towards becoming a Solar Leader

India receives around 300 days of sunlight per year, making it an ideal place to harness solar energy. In the last couple of years, India has taken some major steps towards becoming a solar energy leader.

With the new investment in the solar sector, we were expecting some groundbreaking inventions and new technological advancements. ISRO’s step towards importing this technology could majorly boost our efforts to announce that we are soon becoming a perfect place for all kinds of solar efforts.

Unlike conventional solar cells, these solar cells are highly efficient, sophisticated and complex to make. Once the satellite is launched into space, solar cells absorb energy from the sun and convert it into electricity. This electricity is used to carry out all the major function of a satellite. Without proper functioning of solar panels, the satellite becomes powerless and turns into space debris.

Till now the U.S.A. being a top leader in Space and Technology was our only option to borrow this kind of efficiency. India importing this technology is a bright step in both space technology and solar sector.

 

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Why Solar is the Most Reliable Form of Renewable Energy?

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Effective conservation and usage of renewable energy is the critical part of reducing our carbon footprints. With drastic climatic changes occurring in the past few decades, it has become vital to choose alternative energy sources.

With continuous depleting fossil fuels and the effects they are causing to the environment due to its over-usage, adopting the renewable form of energy is important to fulfill our current and future generation needs.

Renewables have seen significant growth in the past few decades. With growing technological advancements it has become easy to store and utilize various naturally available resources.

Few reasons Why Renewable Energy is Vital for Human Survival:

 There is a reason why renewables are vital for human survival. Without proper conservation of these resources, the future of humans will be doomed.

  • Various naturally available resources like sun, wind, geothermal energy are an inexhaustible source of energy and will never get exhausted.
  • With continuous depletion of fossil fuels, the cost of non-renewables is increasing continuously.
  • Renewables do not release any harmful greenhouse gases, thus preventing our environment from pollution.
  • Most of the renewables are locally available and can contribute to the growth of a community.

There are primarily five types of renewable energy available;

  1. Solar or Sunlight energy
  2. Hydropower
  3. Wind energy
  4. Geothermal energy
  5. Biomass energy

Out of all these brilliant natural resources, solar energy is the best alternative form of energy. It is abundant in most part of the world and various technological advancements have made this clean source easily accessible.

 Why is Solar Energy the Best Renewable Resource?

Our planet receives an incredible amount of Sunlight. When compared to other renewables, solar energy is easy to harness, abundant in quantity and can be utilized locally.

The amount of solar energy the sun sends towards earth in one minute is enough to fulfill the entire world’s energy demand for one year. This gives you a brief idea of how important it is to conserve this energy.

Solar power is used primarily in two forms: – Thermal and Photovoltaic.

Thermal systems convert sunlight into heat and apply it to generators to produce electricity. Photovoltaic systems are made up of a material called silicon which releases electron when it interacts with sunlight and produces electricity.

Each renewable sector is witnessing growth due to various economic policies and optimized technologies, but solar is winning the marathon of being the best alternative form of energy.

Here are the top four reasons why we need to embrace solar technology

  •  Solar Energy is Nature-Friendly

 Going green has become vital in the last few years, with greenhouse gases causing havoc in environment, it has become important to look for alternative resources. Solar is one of the cleanest energy we can consume. Unlike other non-renewables, sunlight doesn’t release any harmful substances when producing energy.

Fossil fuels release harmful gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur and nitrous oxides in the atmosphere. But with solar energy, we eliminate the risk of various environmental problems like the risk of acid rain, depletion of the ozone layer, health-related problems caused by pollution and many more.

  • Solar Equipment is Durable with Good Life-Cycle

 Installation of solar systems is a one-time investment, even though the initial costs are high, the cost is well worth considering its durability. Most of the solar equipment has a life cycle of a minimum of 25 years. Since there are no dynamic parts, there are very few instances of parts undergoing wear and tear.

The solar panels manufactured today are extensively tested and are capable to withstand various climatic conditions. Most of the solar equipment comes with long-term warranties.

  • Solar Energy is Reliable

 When compared to other renewable energy sources, solar is the most reliable one.

The solar panels are perfectly designed and arranged to receive maximum sunlight and store the energy to provide continuous output.

Especially in the case of rooftop solars, the energy generated and supplied in the same building preventing the loss of energy through the transmission. Since your building is connected to the grid, the excess energy produced is pushed back into the grids.

Unless your surrounding faces some severe climatic changes, solar panels continue to provide its desired output.

  • A High Return on Investment

 Installing solar is a one-time investment. As soon as you install a solar system, your dependence on traditional electricity ends. Your electricity bill gets reduced considerably. Your current electricity bill charges you on monthly basis, even though the initial cost of installing a solar system is high, after a certain period of time your monthly installments exceeds the total cost of the solar installation.

Since the solar energy market is surging continuously, having solar panels installed on your rooftop will yield you a higher ROI in that area. This means that you not only earn the benefits while using your solar system but also earn you money while selling the house.

In conclusion, we would like to say that solar energy is the energy of the future. As solar is entering into a transitional era, we hope to see new inventions and equipment with great efficiency and reduced costs.

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A Simple Chart Displaying the Advent of an Energy Revolution

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The world we live in is constantly advancing itself with new technologies and in order to sustain its growth, it needs a constant supply of energy. Unfortunately, the methods and the sources we currently use to produce energy are out-dated. Drastic climate changes and continuously depleting fossil fuels is challenging us to look for alternative energy resources.

Renewable energy is such an alternative form of energy. It includes solar energy, wind energy, Hydropower, Tidal energy, geothermal energy etc. The inexhaustible nature is the major advantage of renewables over the conventional energy sources. Renewable energy produces little or no carbon emission and therefore helps us in combating the climate change. The use of fossil fuels releases harmful gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide which gets trapped in the earth’s atmosphere and cause a greenhouse effect.

As we are becoming aware of the drawbacks of using fossil fuels, a number of people are trying to switch to a renewable source of energy. The major roadblock in adapting renewable energy was its cost of production. But a new report suggests that the cost required to produce power from renewables has decreased considerably.

Advent of Energy Revolution –

A report from “Lazard” shows that the cost of producing solar energy is continuously decreasing; it costs around $50 to produce one mega-watt hour of solar power.

On the other hand, coal costs around $102 to produce one mega-watt of energy.

This report is a sign that the world may soon witness an energy revolution.

This report from Lazard highlights the fact that the cost of producing energy from various renewable resources is gradually reducing. Especially, the utility-scale solar plants – plants that transfer electricity into grids have witnessed an extraordinary price drop of 86% since 2009.

The Chart below depicts the significant change in costs over a period of time –

Average cost of energy in north america

 

Lazard’s analysis is a measurement based on levelized cost of energy analysis. ‘Levelized’ means including the cost of building the plant, maintaining the plant and fueling the plant for its expected lifetime.

The cost of producing solar energy has decreased considerably which is the main advantage for solar energy companies and we must be ready to face the dramatic changes occurring due to these price drops. This shift can make us adapt renewable sources more smoothly.

Switching to renewable source of energy is the only way to curb the on-going climate change and put an end to our dependency on fossil fuels. But the transformation is only viable if the renewable source of energy possesses the efficiency and cost-friendliness of the of the current conventional energy sources.

According to the report of the United Nations Environment programme the growth of renewable source of energy has been apparent in last few decades.

In 2017, renewable energy like solar energy, wind energy, hydropower supplied 12% of the world’s energy demands. Although 12% may not seem enough, but it is a major achievement for the renewable sector.

Even though solar energy is getting cheaper, Lazard points out that the cost does not take account of external expenses like transmission and storage of power, which is a major hurdle in solar energy adoption. It won’t be a full-throttle revolution until both production and storage of solar energy cost less.

Barriers to renewable technologies –

  • Costs – The most widely publicized and criticized aspect of renewable energy is the cost of installation and maintenance. Even though it promises a better ROI and clean fuel, due to its initial high investments, many developing countries resist adopting the renewable alternative.
  • Siting – Installation of Renewable sources like wind, hydro and solar energy requires large section of land. Doing so requires negotiations, contracts, permissions etc. This may hamper the overall cost of the projects.
  • Transmission – With building infrastructure for generating electricity, renewables also need a different mode of transmission since the existing designs were made to transfer fossil fuels and other conventional energy sources.
  • Market Entry – Since the renewable sector needs huge initial investments, start-ups cannot prove their mark in this industry. And they definitely cannot compete with the existing wealthier industries.
  • Reliability factors – The opponents of renewable energy always doubts the reliability of solar and wind power. Even though solar and wind power is a much reliable source for clean energy, many investors fail to see the big picture. This results in low capital investments which hinders the growth of commercially available renewable energy.

Conclusion –

Even though the renewables have some drawbacks, many people are moving towards this clean form of energy. The decrease in the cost of production will boost the efforts of producing renewable energy at large scale. Revolutionary changes can only happen if we succeed in designing effective storage systems. The storage problem makes it difficult for the developing nations to adopt this technology. Until and unless we develop an effective storage system, these nations are more likely to use the combination of renewable and traditional energy sources.

2018-a-sobering

2018 A Sobering Year for Renewable Energy in India

In 2015, India announced an aspiring goal of increasing its renewable capacity from 50 gigawatt (GW) to 175 gigawatt (GW) by the year 2022, which consist 100 GW of Solar, 60 GW of wind, 10 GW of bio energy and 5 GW of small hydro plants. India has created a clear roadmap to achieve the target by 2022.

According to the roadmap, nearly 60 solar cities will be developed across India. Renewable sources are expected to meet 40% of India’s power demands by 2030. Currently, India ranks 4th in the renewable energy country attractive index. As the economy grows, the power consumption will increase significantly and we should be able to supply this ever increasing demand. India receives about 300 days of sunlight a year and also has the capacity to generate hydro power. A lot of these potential sources needs to be explored in order to generate sustainable renewable energy.

Despite all these excellent statistics, India is failing to achieve its year on year targets of power generation. According to the report submitted by the standing committee of energy, India had only achieved 36% of its targeted value of 175 GW by Dec 2017.

State of our current renewable energy Projects:-

The number of new projects in the pipeline are slowing down since the current projects are inefficient in power generation and returning very less financial capital. The standing committee has found that The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has been unable to utilize the funds allocated due to poor financial planning. The report also says that budget allocated to MNRE is under-financed and even that value allocated gets reduced during revised budget allocation. This practice of lowering budget is not in sync with targeted outcome.

The committee also posed a question to MNRE, asking a satisfactory answer for its failure to achieve allocated target. In 2016, India could only achieve 68% of its yearly target of generating 16,600 MW renewable energy. In 2017, it fell to 38%. This failure of under achievements is keeping us further away from the goal of 175 MW by 2022.

The Good and Service tax (GST) is causing additional problems in implementation of the project. While solar panels falls under 5% category, batteries and inverters comes under 18% slab. Government needs to intervene and sought out this confusion of tax differentiation.

Many Projects were implemented expecting a high and quick return EBITDA, but due to improper financial planning and poor implementation, the plan is failing miserably. EBITDA stands for earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization.

Since the number of new projects getting on-board has slowed down, there are a vast number of investors chasing very few projects, resulting in severe competition. Markets are volatile and even though many investors are keen to take new projects, they are taking a cautious approach before they invest in renewable energy market.

Most of the projects undertaken by the renewable sector were based on the EBITDA growth. The strategies implemented are not producing any desired results, as a result of which investors are taking a calculated approach before investing in the renewable market. The decline in investments has also been credited to uncertain trade cases, price fluctuation, rupee depreciation. All of these reasons are contributing to further delay our target of reaching 175 MW by 2022. According to the report of standing committee, in 2017-18, India has been able to produce only 62% of the targeted solar power generation, 15% of targeted wind power and 74% of Biomass power generation.   .

Another problem investors are facing is that there is not enough data available on previous investments in the renewable sector. Normally, businesses analyze the current and previous returns from market and decide whether to make an investment. But in case of renewable energy market, there is no sufficient data available making investors to take costly projects at a very high risk. Many high officials claim that the current scenario doesn’t look good and our failure to take corrective measure will only result in delaying our project to reach the desired target.

Conclusion:-

India has taken an ambitious project of generating 175 GW of renewable energy. To meet the 2022 target, India needs to accelerate its current progress. India plans to increase its dependence on non-fossil fuels to around 57% by 2027, which is higher than the committed value of 40%.

As we move towards renewable resources, we simultaneously need to tackle the issue of our complete dependence on fossil fuels. Coal is the leading fossil fuel used in generation of power, contributing around 57% of total power production. Even though the current reports show a limited growth in coal consumption, we need to develop a system where there is effective utilization of all the available renewable resources. Shifting our focus towards renewable energy production will have a noteworthy impact on the future power demand as well our current climatic condition.

floating-solar-energy

Floating Solar Energy Transforming India Into a Greener Nation

The green solar energy is the next alternative source of energy that is being explored at an immense pace. With the search for alternative energy sources at its peak, solar energy has clearly come out as the winner amongst the other options like wind and water. The need for the search of an alternative source is all the more accelerated due to the fact that the environment needs an urgent re look, for the sake of its survival. With the waning ozone layer and adverse effect on the health of the flora and fauna alike, the need for a green energy source seems like the only plausible survival mantra for the future. Solar energy provided the way out a long time back. However, to counter the cons of solar panels in terms of the space they occupy on land, technological advancement made floating solar panels a possibility, which has been widely accepted across the globe.

Solar power is being harnessed not just for household use but also for commercial purposes. When it comes to utility-scale production, the power generation demand far exceeds household demands. This is where the alternative of floating solar energy source comes into play since such a huge production will be made possible only by a solar plant. That would be a huge space to install the plant. The resolution to this dilemma came with floating solar plant. So what is a floating solar energy plant?

Solar floating Energy Installations

These are solar plants, installed on barges, marine vessels or even over the dams. Since the photovoltaic cells or the solar panels are on water bodies and are therefore floating they are called the floating energy installations.

One of the most asked questions is how do these heavy solar panels float? The floating solar panels are of the same material as the ones made for the rooftop solar panels. However, they are mounted on material which have buoyancy and hence remains afloat.

With India’s goal of making the economy renewable energy sufficient, solar floating installations can prove to be the game changer. This is a feasible alternative for India as India has with abundant water bodies. To generate power sufficiently for large-scale utilization, approximately 15% of water bodies, if used for such floating solar panels, would be more than sufficient. This will produce an approximate of 330 GW of power. Interestingly this amount of power generation will achieve India’s ambition of achieving 100 GW of power from solar and 227 GW from renewable energy sources, conveniently.

Why is Solar Floating a need?

Solar installations need space. Even when it is a home instalment of solar panels you need that space to accommodate the equipment. Hence it is not surprising that installing a utility size solar plant will take enormous space. This is a huge constraint in India. Though the geographical location of our country makes sunlight abundant for us, the ever-increasing population and deforestation has left little barren land to be used for such a plant. Rest of the land is for agricultural usage. Hence the need for space becomes a hurdle in harnessing solar energy on a large scale. This is one of the reasons why floating solar panels are a need if India has to become solar efficient.

Installing floating solar panels has no size constraints. This translates to mean that panels as big and spread out in size may be installed for electricity production. India’s foray into floating solar panels took flight with the floating solar panel installed on the Banasura water reservoir in Wayanad, Kerala.The floating solar panel here is spread out across 1.25 acres on the reservoir.

Here is an often enquired doubted dilemma that must be addressed. What about the locations where water bodies are unavailable?  The alternative sources of natural energy include wind and water energies too. It is, therefore, either one of the energies that is abundant in the location. Solar energy, however, is being targeted more since it is more available.

Benefits

Other than producing electricity, installing floating solar panels has additional benefits too.

1) Being on the water, the panels are constantly cooled. This leads to more efficiency and productivity.

2) In a way, these panels can lead the water conservation initiatives in a big way. When such panels are kept afloat on the water bodies, they cover a large part of the water body. The panel shaded part of the water body is not heated by direct sunlight, which helps in conserving water as this prevents water evaporation up to 70%.

In fact, these solar floating panels also prevent the water from developing algae.

If looked at from the economic perspective, floating solar panels are also budgetary since the equipment installation does not require any heavy pieces of equipment or tools. Moreover, these panels which are usually installed on reservoirs, allow the water bodies to be exploited for their potential of producing electricity.

Most importantly, the material used in the whole set up is recyclable. Hence it negates any harm to the water life like the flora and fauna.

The way to a green nation

Floating Solar energy in India is a feasible proposition. Along with being an alternative to panels mounted on land, the floating solar panels are triggered by Sunlight, which is a green energy source. Here, not only is the energy source that fuels the electricity production green, but the production process also does not emit any kind of pollutant into the environment.

Solar energy used is perennial, abundant and renewable, unlike coal. Hence, with floating solar panels using Sun’s energy as the primary energy source, will never exhaust its source.

Conclusion: One of the vital contributors to the Go Green movement across the globe is Solar energy. Major economies of the world are pushing for the solar way of life. In many of the countries, solar efficiency has already become a reality.  The strain of pollution that our planet bears currently is unjustified and calls for a swift change for going heavy on green energy.

domestic-solar-usage

Is Domestic Solar Usage Worth?

Solar energy is the energy source emitting from the Sun as Sunlight. An hour of solar energy that hits the earth is more than what we consume in one year. It is therefore worth contemplating the usage of using Solar energy. Moreover, with the Indian government making continuous efforts to popularize solar energy usage India, adopting this alternative source of energy serves multiple purposes. Solar energy scores as an alternative source of energy since it is available throughout the year. Also a non-depleting source of energy, it is a green energy and therefore eco-friendly. Adopting solar energy has its own perks as the government has made a lot of provisions to benefit solar power users. With the present government of India initiating the big push for Solar power, a lot rides on Solar power adoption. With the government resolute to electrifying most of India and an announcement of 100% electrification of the country, Solar power will need to be the source that everyone will have to revert to, ultimately. In the near future, Solar power will be the power that will prove to be the reliable source of electricity supply. Probably with this belief, the government planned to achieve 100 GW of solar power installation by 2022 as the deadline. Depleting Coal Reserves: Another aspect of Solar power that makes it worth an option for household consumption is the depleting coal reserves. The Indian electricity sector is 60% coal driven. Demand for usage is increasing by the day, whereas coal production has come to a standstill, with steadily depleting mines. Solar power is as reliable a source of electricity as coal is. Though this might be debated with counter pointers about geographical locations, feasibility and affordability, it still remains the only feasible option. With the government making provisions for those adapting solar energy, a rethink is a must. Earned Credits for Solar Power Adoption: Under the wings of the ministry of New and renewable energy, many schemes have been launched to benefit the solar power users. As of today, the southern part of India along with Rajasthan is leading the solar installation ranking. Gujarat was leading the trend way back in 2012-13. Households opting for solar powered electricity production benefits in many ways. These also help the state governments to save on a lot of wastage because of which subsidies and credits are given back. Net Metering: This is one of the provisions that help households producing solar energy avail of. The homes using the on-grid solar systems are connected to the state solar power grid via net metering. This helps the excess or surplus solar energy produced to be directed back to the state grid. This has a twofold benefit : 1) It helps the households to pool in and add more energy to the solar grids. This enables the grids to provide power to the households during the nights and the less Sunny days. 2) The amount of surplus energy sent to the grid is compensated for by a lower electricity bill for the household. With a solar panel at home producing electricity, a house produces its own electricity, locally. This renders any kind third party dependency neutral. Hence if there is a Independent Power production power cut, a home lit by Solar powered electricity will still have its own supply of power for everything to keep working. This may be from the grid or the battery storage of the solar system. Moreover, Solar grids are a network. If one of the grids has lesser power, the other grid which is always close by, chips in. That way solar-powered home is quite independent on their own. This characteristic of a solar system also benefits the government in a big way. When it is coal-powered electricity that is used, the production plants are not nearby the homes. For the power to reach the households, it needs to be transported. This is where the loss occurs while transporting. This can cost a lot since the loss of power while transportation translates to mean less capacity to meet the demands of all the households. Extremely Low Maintenance: Every household wants to control and minimize expenses at all costs. Electricity bills contribute to one of the major bills to be paid for every month. Adding a maintenance bill to the already building bills is the last straw, that one needs. A solar panel is extremely low on maintenance. A good wash with water is all that is needed for the panels to be cleaned. Moreover, all it takes is a quarterly checkup of a solar panel to ensure no glitches in maintenance. Most importantly, solar power system lessens electricity bills by a considerable amount. Years of Warranty: Solar panels come with a 25-year-old warranty. Inverters have a 5-year-old warranty. These are perks that are available only for solar systems. This is a major advantage that solar systems have. Conclusion: Solar power usage is worth every penny. The ROI that households get back is almost instant. Moreover adopting to solar systems helps every individual household to give back to the environment adapting to green energy.

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