Solar Definition and 1000 Threads

Solar power is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), indirectly using concentrated solar power, or a combination. Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and solar tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaic cells convert light into an electric current using the photovoltaic effect.Photovoltaics were initially solely used as a source of electricity for small and medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by a single solar cell to remote homes powered by an off-grid rooftop PV system. Commercial concentrated solar power plants were first developed in the 1980s. As the cost of solar electricity has fallen, the number of grid-connected solar PV systems has grown into the millions and gigawatt-scale photovoltaic power stations are being built. Solar PV is rapidly becoming an inexpensive, low-carbon technology to harness renewable energy from the Sun. The current largest photovoltaic power station in the world is the Pavagada Solar Park, Karnataka, India with a generation capacity of 2050 MW.The International Energy Agency projected in 2014 that under its "high renewables" scenario, by 2050, solar photovoltaics and concentrated solar power would contribute about 16 and 11 percent, respectively, of worldwide electricity consumption, and solar would be the world's largest source of electricity. Most solar installations would be in China and India. In 2019, solar power generated 2.7% of the world's electricity, growing over 24% from the previous year. As of October 2020, the unsubsidised levelised cost of electricity for utility-scale solar power is around $36/MWh.

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  1. P

    Maximum power delivered by a solar cell to a resistive load

    Homework Statement The current-voltage characteristic of a photovoltaic energy converter (solar cell) shown in the attached figure can be approximated by: i = I_1(e^{v/V_{TH}} - 1) - I_2 where the first term characterizes the diode in the dark and I2 is a term that depends on light...
  2. W

    Could this solar system have stable orbits.

    The will be a G2v star with the sam mass, radius and luminousity of our sun Planet 1: 0.5 Earth masses orbiting at 0.51 au Planet 2: 1 Earth masses orbiting at 0.63 au planet 3: 2 Earth masses orbiting at 0.78 au planet 4: 0.2 Earth masses orbiting at 0.85 au planet 5: 4 Earth masses...
  3. A

    Space Based Solar Power practical project

    Hello, I'm doing a project on SBSP and we have a few months to complete it, and in my written report I will be going over NASA's data they collected from their attempts. Calculating efficiencies and otheer variables between different stages of transmission, e.g. first from the sun radi to PV...
  4. B

    What Speed Does a Spacecraft Need to Escape the Solar System from Earth's Orbit?

    Homework Statement (a) What is the minimum speed, relative to the Sun, necessary for a spacecraft to escape the solar system if it starts at the Earth's orbit? (a) What is the minimum speed, relative to the Sun, necessary for a spacecraft to escape the solar system if it starts at the...
  5. jk22

    Why planets in the solar system lie almost in a plane

    planets in the solar system lie almost in a plane. Is this because the sun is rotating on itself ?
  6. Pythagorean

    Solar powered vertebrate (through symbiosis with algae)

    http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23090-zoologger-the-first-solarpowered-vertebrate.html
  7. O

    Escape velocity of solar system

    Hey guys so this question I'm kind of stuck on, Our solar system, starting from Saturn's orbit. So I know the formula is v = sqrt(2GM/r) But not sure what to put for the mass and radius, am i including saturn and planets like uranus and neptune only or all the satellites and stuff to like...
  8. A

    [MSc thesis ideas] Solar PV with use of quantum physics

    Hello, I need some ideas for my MSc thesis. I am wanting it to be related to solar PV with the use of materials incorporating quantum mechanics. My first idea was to use quantum dots to improve solar cell efficiency, from the papers I have read there are numerous ways to achieve this, but...
  9. N

    What is the Solar Constant in the Kuiper Belt?

    what is the value for our solar constant?
  10. S

    How big bodies can exist in outer Solar System?

    Well, how big things can exist unseen? We did see Pluto - but very importantly managed to not see Eris till very recently. What else may we not see? Eris at 95 a. u. was found recently. The total luminosity of a reflective object decreases with fourth power of distance, so that we could...
  11. P

    Escape velocity from solar system

    Hi. I've been wondering, how could I calculate the escape velocity for a body of mass m which is a certain distance r from the center of the Earth to escape the entire solar system, assuming the distance from the center of mass (aprox. from the sun because it's about 99% of the mass of the solar...
  12. tfr000

    Trouble with a Solar System simulation

    Hi all. I have been working, off and on, on a Solar System simulator (in MS Excel) for many months. I am using the Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg 8/9 8th-order integrator and JPL's initial conditions to try to reproduce an accurate model of planetary motions. This, of course, involves modeling the...
  13. J

    LED based solar simulator testing method

    Sir, I'm an undergraduate in 'Electronics'.Intending to develop a solar simulator with LED as the light source. It is understood that the spectral irradiance of sun can not be generated with the LED.So my plan is to light up a number of high power LED arrays of different...
  14. Z

    Calculate Perihelion Distance of Mars Using Solar System Parameters

    Homework Statement Assuming that the sun lies at the principal focus of the solar system, and given that the semi-major axis and eccentricity of Mars is 1.5237 AU and 0.0934 respectively, calculate: The distance (in AU) when Mars is closest to the Sun (known as perihelion). The angle θ=0°...
  15. G

    Solar Energy in Space: Locomotion & Approaching Sun

    Is it possible to use solar energy to provide locomotion in Space? I appreciate that Solar sails have been mooted but is there any way that the energy from the sun can be used in such a way as to approach the source of the light?
  16. O

    Calculating temperature increase in a building as a result of solar radiation

    I'm working on a thermal balance of a building. In particular, I'm trying to calculate the effect energy gains (mostly due to solar radiation) have on the inside temperature of the building. So I calculated the energy gains per month, for instance, 20 kW for the month of February (it's an...
  17. K

    Efficiency Of Thin Film Solar Cells

    How does the efficiency of a Thin Film solar cell compare to the efficiency of a single crystal solar cell with reference to the 5 main solar cell parameters ( Iopt , Rs, Rsh, Is and n )? I know series resistance( Rs ) will probably increase in thin film cells because of grain boundaries...
  18. DiracPool

    Is The Solar System Scale Invariant? A Thought Experiment

    Just a thought experiment. Imagine you made scale models of the sun and the planets with the relational standard of measure being a sun the size of a basketball. Now assume that the sun and the planets were all built to scale with the appropriate diameters, densities and masses of the actual 8...
  19. TheFerruccio

    Solar cells in parallel and series

    Hi, I am conducting an experiment whereby I have to measure the individual performance (on a per-cell basis) of solar cells on a solar panel. The panel has 20 cells, which are 4 strings in parallel of 5 cells in series each. The entire panel has a +V and chassis GND wire that I can open or...
  20. E

    What is going on when a solar cell goes into reverse bias?

    I would like to understand exactly what happens when a PN doped crystalline silicon cell is shaded.Lets assume we have ten solar cells wired together in a series string.That there is plenty of sunlight on the first nine cells but cell ten is completely shaded.Lets say the forward bias of each...
  21. P

    Solar system is bigger than previously thought

    Voyager spacecraft finds solar system is bigger than thought: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/telecon20121203.html http://us.cnn.com/2012/12/03/us/space-voyager-solar-system/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
  22. U

    Solar System's orbit around galaxy, a concise 3D description?

    Hello, this is my first topic/question, thanks for reading thus far... It is very easy to find explanations about the general path that the solar system takes when it orbits the center of our galaxy, when viewed in 2D from above, a circle around the center some distance away from that center...
  23. O

    Nuclear Waste Disposal into Sun or outside Solar System?

    Hello fellow aerospace engineers and physicists, I am currently working on a project and trying to figure this out. I was wondering if you guys could help me out. Here is the problem statement: A nuclear waste disposal spacecraft is to be sent from Earth in order to carry radioactive waste...
  24. J

    Can Astronaut survive within solar wind?

    Solar wind contains ion charges and electromagnetic field, will Solar wind affect action potential within Astronaut's nerve system? Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any suggestions
  25. L

    Solar wobble - what are the effects of Jupiter and Saturn?

    Hi I came across this excellent forum :) I am trying to figure out the solar wobble. When only looking at the Sun+Jupiter+Saturn, my intuitive interpretation is that the Sun will go faster/wobble more at Jupiter-Saturn-conjunction, and slower at oppositions. Is this correct? If so, there...
  26. J

    What is different in Solar Radio vs Radio Flux 10.7 cm?

    Referring to following links, I would like to know whether Solar Radio is equal to Radio Flux or not, it seems that it describes Solar Radio in different format. Are they monitoring the same objects? Does anyone have any suggestions on what the different is between them? Thanks in...
  27. J

    Any methods to connect 20W solar panel?

    Hi all, I am planning to connect a 20W solar panel on my services bank (via a regulator). I have made a little diagram that hopefully will make things easier. As you can see, I have two separate banks, using a common negative. In the services bank I have a NASA BM1 battery monitor connected...
  28. P

    Exploring the Solar System: Reasons Why

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  29. Astronuc

    Orphan planets, i.e., planets not in a solar system

    Orphan or 'rogue' planets may be common, rather than an exception, at least in the galaxy. http://news.yahoo.com/orphan-alien-planet-found-nearby-without-parent-star-122308193.html But how common?
  30. P

    Is There a 100 Solar Mass Black Hole in Orion Nebula?

    This paper proposes a 100 solar mass black hole in nearby Orion Nebula: http://arxiv.org/abs/1209.2114 Exciting if true. I have no particular comments, just thought it should be noted here.
  31. V

    Solar tracker calculation of torques and forces

    hi i am designing a solar tracker for my final year project. its a dual axis solar tracker with two stepper motors one rotating a shaft and the other tilting a bar. i need help on calculating forces torques and finding the FOS. can anyone help me?
  32. B

    Help understanding solar imaging wavelength and coronal temp

    The TRACE website has a solar image that is described as, quoting from the text associated with the image, "This is a false-color, 3-layer composite from the TRACE observatory showing the solar corona: the blue, green, and red channels show the 171A, 195A, and 284A, respectively. These TRACE...
  33. J

    What is the Nature of Solar Radio Flux?

    Referring to following link about Solar Radio Flux, I would like to know more about Solar Radio Flux, is Solar Radio Flux different from Electric Flux? What is the major difference in term of properties of their fluxs? Does anyone have any suggested materials on what Solar Radio Flux is about...
  34. J

    How can a recent graduate get into the Solar Industry?

    I am a mechanical engineering B.S. graduate 3 years corporate engineering experience. I've developed a passion for solar energy over the past year. However, jobs are short for early-life engineers like me. How do I get started as an engineer in a company like FirstSolar and NanoSolar? They...
  35. A

    Why does this NiMH solar charger work?

    I'm new to electronics and have been looking into building a solar cell charger for NiMH batteries. I got hold of a pair of small solar panels rated at 5v open circuit voltage, and 100mA short circuit current. I confirmed this under bright sunlight with a multimeter. Each panel will easily...
  36. S

    Polymer with low solar radiation resistance, high heat resistance

    I'm an engineer student and I'm trying to build such a solar heating system that it is drum with two layers, inner one is a metal (aluminium alloy I'm thinking) water container and outer layer is made of polymer, with air gap in-between. When suns come out, it radiates through the polymer and on...
  37. lpetrich

    Jupiter and Saturn - Back and Forth in the Early Solar System?

    The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia Exoplanet Orbit Database | Exoplanet Data Explorer Numerous planets outside the Solar System have been discovered, and for some curious reason, a large number of them are around Jupiter's mass, but much closer in than one would expect. The usual theory...
  38. Eirhead

    Solar Winds, Space-Aged Propulsion & Plasma Beams?

    Solar Winds, Space-Aged Propulsion & Plasma Beams? Hi there I'm educated the field of electrical systems & radio frequency, and I love reading about things like ion drives, hall effect thrusters and VASIMR. One thing I find quite fascinating is how the solar winds accelerate away from the sun...
  39. K

    Universe was the size of our solar system after 1 sec

    I've heard many times that the universe was the size of our solar system after 1 sec. But how is this possible if nothing can travel faster than the speed of light? Are there any theories on this?
  40. O

    Formation of the Solar System (Astrophysics Homework Help)

    Homework Statement Formation of the Solar System The distance of Venus is about 0.7 AU, and the orbital radius of Jupiter is about 5.2 AUs. How many times hotter is the region where Venus formed compared to the region where Jupiter formed? Enter numbers and decimal point only. Round off...
  41. O

    I on how to build an inverter with solar panel

    i want to build an inverter with solar panel can someone assist me on how to use thyristor to buffer it,and how to connect it to the solar which is 500wattts.my inverter is 5kva
  42. A

    Energy, Non-coplanar solar system orbits for space ships

    Hi all, As many of you have seen, I am thinking about spaceship trajectories. This next question falls under the same subject, but it is an entirely different question from the previous questions I have asked. Spaceships of the near future will fly in the plane of the solar system. Suppose if...
  43. A

    Solar System Rocket Trajectories Simulator

    Hi all, I had an exhaustive time looking on the web for software (either free or commercial) that allows someone to simulate trips into the solar system from planets. I'm looking for something that can simulate spaceship flybys in Hohman Transfer Orbits, Gravity Assists, Oberth Effects...
  44. dbmorpher

    Solar Driven low Resource Consuption Steam Engine Materials

    Hi I'm dbmorpher For my local History fair I am basing my report on the Indutrial Evolution and it's Inventions namely the Steam Engine. I wanted to know if there was an easy way to make a steam engine that was or had... Low cost parts No fuel such as coal or wood No need for complicated...
  45. R

    Solar system space dust avg density[kg/m^3]

    What avg density [kg/m^3] may I attribute to solar system space dust? Halliday & Resnick give E-18 to E-21 [kg/^3]. This will allow me to compute solar system density, if I know solar system radius[m], ie, distance from edge of solar system to centre-of-mass of our Sun. By 'space dust' I mean...
  46. J

    Need help creating a solar charging circuit for hobby

    Hi I am fairly new to electronics and I have a project I want to create a circuit for. I have a solar panel rated 6v 50mA. I want to make a rechargeable battery run a series of 2 or 3 bright LEDs. My question is: What voltage limit will the source need to have in order to take a charge...
  47. W

    Stefan-Boltzman Law Proof with Regards to Solar Radiation

    Homework Statement The unit area intensity of radiation from the Sun at the photosphere is 6.33*107 W/m2. a) Check this value using the calculus of the Stefan-Boltzman Law, assuming the Sun is a blackbody emitter (\epsilon = 1) with a surface temperature of 5777K. Homework Equations...
  48. T

    Yes, your calculations are correct.

    Homework Statement Given: Consider the following: city: Córdoba, Argentina Longitude = 64 deg 10 min W Latitude = 31 deg 28 min S Time zone = GMT -3 Date = 01 August On this date, the equation of time = -6 minutes. Assume no daylight saving time (a) Determine the standard time at solar noon...
  49. P

    Solar Constant: Earth's Receiving Intensity

    Hi, So, I understand the concept that the power radiated by the sun spreads out as a sphere with a radius equal to 1 AU. Therefore, in order to find the intensity, we have to divide the power radiated by the surface area of the sphere. I thought the result of this calculation would yield the...
  50. J

    Electron/Hole Effective Mass vs Solar Cell efficiency

    Hi. I'm doing research relating to solar cells and came about the topic related to effective masses. The wiki article stated how effective mass (solid state materials) influences the efficiency of solar cells, but doing more research I couldn't find any solid examples of an effective mass vs...
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