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ELECTRICITY GENERATION THROUGH SOLAR ENERGY CONCEPT AND ITS

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ELECTRICITY GENERATION
THROUGH SOLAR ENERGY
CONCEPT AND ITS MECHANISM
1Udit Mamodiya, 2Dr. Neeraj Tiwari
1
Research Scholar, 2 Professor,
1,2
Electrical Engineering
1,2
Poornima University, Jaipur

Abstract: Solar energy is produced by the sunlight. It is a non renewable resource of energy which
is eco friendly. Every hour enough sunlight energy reaches the equatorial region to meet India’s
energy demand for a whole year. In 21st century due to uses of various technology and population
increase we need electricity every hour. This solar energy is generated by various applications like
industry, commercial, and Residential. This application can draw the energy easily from sunlight.
So it is it is very efficient and pollution free. The review paper discusses working of solar energy;
type of solar panel, modeling of PV panel and solar concrete collector. This paper also focuses on
merit and demerits of solar energy, application of solar energy and their future trends and aspects.

Keywords: Renewable energy, Solar panel, Photovoltaic cell, Modeling of PV panel, Solar
concrete collector.
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I. INTRODUCTION

Renewable energy refers to energy produced from sources that doesn’t deplete and can be
replenished withi n a human’s lifetime. In the last 10 years a decreasing trend in renewable
energy can be witnessed due to which the per watt cost of solar energy increased. Due to the
upcoming better technologies (in terms of cost and application), solar energy will become
economical. Everyday earth receives sunlight above 1366W approx. which is an unlimited
source of energy available at no cost. The key benefit of solar energy over the other
conventional power generators is that, the sunlight can be directly converted into solar energy
with the use of smallest photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. There are various Research activities
conducted to combine the Sun’s energy process by developing solar cells/panels/module with
high converting form. The other merits of solar energy is that it can be made available to
common people at affordable prices and available in large quantities of supply compared to
various fossil fuels and oils in the past ten years. Moreover, solar energy requires relatively
lower manpower expenses over conventional energy production technology.

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II. SOLAR ENERGY

Radiant energy emitted by sun is known as solar energy. Sun rays are converted into electricity
by using three primary technologies i.e. photovoltaic (directly converts light into electricity),
concentrating solar power (uses heat from the sun to drive utility scale) and solar heating and
cooling system. Solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant and reliable form of renewable
energy as solar radiation is back to the space while the rest is absorbed by ocean, clouds and
land masses. It does not emit any harmful gases when electricity is produced from solar panel.
In the figure 1 solar panel also known as module can be seen. The solar panel contains
photovoltaic cell made from silicon. This photovoltaic cell consist of positive and negative film
of silico n placed inside the depletion zone of PN junction that can be seen in purple color in the
figure 1.
Figure 1: Internal reaction of solar energy

III. FUNCTIONING OF SOLAR PANEL

A) Conversion of sunlight into Direct Current (DC) electricity by PV cells

In the PN junction (as can be seen in purple color in figure 1) electron from N -type silicon diffuses
into the holes of P-type material. When photon released by Sun rays, strikes the photovoltaic cell
(as can be seen in Figure 2) and is absorbed by one of the atoms in the N-type silicon, it produces a
free electron and a hole that has sufficient energy to jump out of the depletion zone. By connecting
a wire from cathode (N-type silicon) to anode (P-type silicon), free electrons will run through the
wire. This free electron gets attracted to positive charge of P-type material and traverse through
external load (meter) that creates a flow of electric current whereas the hole created by displaced
electron is attracted to negative charge of N-type material and migrates back to the electrical
contact.

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B) Conversion of Direct electricity into alternative current

Once PV cells convert the Sunlight to Direct Current (DC) electricity, a Charge Controller (Figure
2) or charge regulator is used to save the batteries from overcharging. It regulates the voltage and
current coming from the solar panels to battery system where the electricity gets stored. Battery
System (Figure 2) also acts as storage of electric power in the night when sunlight is not available.
Direct current is converted into alternating current with the help of Inverter which can be used in
daily life.

Figure 2: Functioning of solar energy

IV. MODELING OF SOLAR PV SYSTEM

A) Photovoltaic cell
It is the most basic unit of solar PV system. It consists of various kinds of semiconductor
material. Solar cell can
be of two types’ mono-crystalline and proly-crystalline. A mono-crystalline type of photovoltaic
cell can be observed in figure 4.

B) Photovoltaic Module

To increase the utility of photovoltaic cell, a number of individual PV cell are interconnected
together and sealed in an environmentally protective package called as a panel or module as
visible in Figure 4. These are fundamental building blocks of PV system. They generally sizes
from 60W to 170W. Usually PV modules are manufactured in various standard sizes such as

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36- cell, 60- cell and 76-cell modules. Usually a number of PV modules are arranged in series
and parallel to meet the energy requirements.

Figure 4: photovoltaic cell, module (multiple cells) and Array

C) Photovoltaic panel

The term solar panel and solar modules are interchangeably used. It is made up by assembling
individual PV cell. These PV cells when connected in series are called as photovoltaic panel.
Solar panel can be seen in Figure 5.

Figure 5: Photovoltaic panel

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D) Photovoltaic array

To achieve the desired level of voltage and current, PV modules are wired in series and parallel
as seen in figure 4 and figure 6. Series connections are responsible for increasing the voltage of
the module whereas the parallel connection is responsible for increasing the current in the array.
An array generates maximum 180W in full sunshine. The Larger the total surface area of an
array, more is the solar electricity produced. A photovoltaic array includes one or more PV
module. This flexibility in modular system of PV cell allows the designer to tailor the solar
power system according to the electricity need.

Figure 6: Photovoltaic array (Multiple module)

V. SOLAR CONCRETE COLLECTOR

A) Parabolic trough reflectors

PTR is used in order to generate consistent high temperature. This is done by designing solar
collector in parabolic shape or U-shape as can be seen in figure 7. With the help of U-shape
parabolic trough maximum incoming sunlight can be collected as it concentrates sun’s
energy onto a small focal point area i.e. absorber heat tube also known as receiver. Receiver
is placed along the focal point axis of the reflective trough. Receiver tube is positioned
between the reflective coating or mirror and fluid (with working fluid), so that working fluid
gets heated at 150-350 0Cas and flows through the receiver which is then used for power
generation system.

Figure 7: Parabolic Trough Reflectors

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B) Fresnel reflector

Fresnel reflector is similar to parabolic trough except that in parabolic trough a receiver tube
contains working fluid is heated by the solar energy whereas in Fresnel reflector series of
long, narrow, flat with little curved ground-mounted mirrors are used. Fresnel reflectors
(Figure 8) are named after Fresnel lens in which refraction produces in the surface. Fresnel
lens can concentrate approx 30 times higher solar energy compared to normal intensity of
conventional trough and performs 34.3% reduction in reflective area relatively to a parabolic
of same diameter. The only major disadvantage of this technology is that it requires 20 mi
nutes series of action performance for tracking the sun. Its application is furnace heating and
surface modification of metallic material.

Figure 8: Fresnel Reflector

c) Parabolic Dish
It is also known as parabolic antenna (can be seen in Figure 9) that appears similar to
satellite dish. It has small mirror reflector that magnifies the concentration of solar energy
many folds that reach the focal point of the receiver. It uses dual axial sun tracking and
thereby increasing the efficiency by 20% compared to parabolic trough collector. Parabolic
dish allows production at MW level in solar plant depending on the size of the dish and its
location which is the highest conversion performance.

Figure 9: Parabolic Dish

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d) Central Receiver

Central receiver system is also known as solar tower or tower power because the whole system
works due to the receiver which is located on top of the central tower. This receiver or heat
exchanger located on central tower absorbs the sunlight from large number of two-axis
tracking mirror with a surface of 20-200 m2 located in the field as can be seen in Figure 10
which is used for generating stream turbine placed at the base of the tower for producing
electricity. It operates by focusing a field of thousands of mirrors on to a receiver located at the
top of a centrally located Tower. This technique is used in large-scale plants where the energy
is saved at one location without requiring any transport network.

VI. ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGY

Solar energy saves tons of natural gas which will help in reducing the imports of natural gas from
other countries thereby decreasing the dependence on other countries and becoming domestically
efficient. It is eco -friendly as it doesn’t emit Carbon dioxide which will not enhance global
warming. CO 2 is also responsible for climate change problem that is disturbing our environment
every day. It can be used in Remote Locations and will help in rural electrification. Due to easy
installation process (i.e. does not required any wires, cords etc.) it is not a time consuming process.
Power capacity can be easily increased by using solar PV cell since sunlight is available in
abundance in equatorial regions of the world.

VII. DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGY

Re-structuring country’s fundamental structure of power sector is very difficult due to high initial
cost associated with solar power compared to coal. In domestic market solar PV cells are not easily
available as the manufacturers concentrate on export of solar PV cell rather than supplying them

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locally. In equatorial countr y like India, china, Pakistan the power structure based on solar energy
can be established but it is not feasible for a country where the sunlight is available for lesser time
period. Moreover people still depend on traditional type of energy due to lack of awareness.
VIII. APPLICATIONS OF SOLAR ENERGY

Solar energy can be used in solar street lightening, for generating electricity, for evaporation and
heating water (Figure 11). It can be also used in Heating and cooling of buildings, solar water
pumping (Fi gure 12) and for cooking food (Figure 13). It will help in rural electrification at a
faster pace without any interruption.

IX. CONCLUSION

Solar power is the fast-growing sector in India as demand for energy is expected to grow with the
increase in population and economic growth. Solar energy is increasingly becoming popular as it
serves economic benefits and environmental benefit. By owing photovoltaic technology, Solar
Energy can even provide Electricity 24x7 in the villages, even on cloudy days and at night. It also
helps in reducing CO2 emission and tons of natural gas used for producing electricity. Being eco-
friendly technology it is more beneficial compared to convention for of energy like fossils fuels and
petroleum deposits. Solar energy is consistent, cheaper and alternative source of electricity
production.

REFERENCES

[1] Shruti Sharma, Kamlesh Kumar Jain, Ashutosh Sharma a review on “Solar Cells: In Research
and Applications”,Materials Sciences and Applications, 2015, 6, 1145 -1155 Published
December 2015
[2] Askari Mohammad Bagher, Mirzaei Mahmoud Abadi Vahid, Mirhabibi Mohsen. “Types of
Solar Cells and Application”. American Journal of Optics and Photonics.Vol. 3, No. 5, 2015,
pp. 94 -113. doi: 10.11648/j.ajop.20150305.17
[3] Book of “Wind and Solar Power Plants” by Mukund Patel, CRC Press
[4] N. Gupta, G. F. Alapatt, R. Podila, R. Singh, K.F. Poole, (2009). "Prospects of Nanostructu re-
Based Solar Cells for Manufacturing Future Generations of Photovoltaic Modules".
International Journal of Photo energy 2009: 1. doi:10.1155/2009/154059.

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[5] Book of “Solar Energy” by Dr. S. P. Sukhatme. Tata McGraw Hill Publication.
[6] Gaurav A. Madhugiri, S. R. Karale, “High solar energy concentration with a Fresnel lens: A
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[8] 2 Gogate, P. R., and Pandit, A. B., 2004, “A Review of Comparative Technologies for
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