Renewable Energy System

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The solar industry is growing rapidly

Solar is one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the world. The rapid development of solar power nationwide and globally has also led to parallel growth in several adjacent areas. Solar battery systems, electric vehicles, and heat pumps are all sectors likely to explode, amplifying the benefits of solar. Here are some quick facts about the industry’s growth:

Solar capacity grew about 25% annually over the past decade.
To date, the United States has about 137.5 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar power capacity—enough to provide clean energy to about 25 million homes.
As of IREC's most recent Solar Job Census covering 2022, the solar industry supported 263,883 jobs—a 3.5% increase from 2021.

Major events in the history of solar energy

We'll explore some of the biggest events that have occurred in the history of solar energy:

Solar panels in outer space

Some of the earliest uses of solar technology were actually in outer space, where solar was used to power satellites. In 1958, the Vanguard I satellite used a tiny one-watt panel to power its radios. Later that year, the Vanguard II, Explorer III, and Sputnik-3 were all launched with PV technology on board. In 1964, NASA was responsible for launching the first Nimbus spacecraft, a satellite able to run entirely on a 470-watt solar array. In 1966, NASA launched the world's first Orbiting Astronomical Observatory, powered by a one-kilowatt array.

First solar residence

In 1973, the University of Delaware was responsible for constructing the first solar building, named "Solar One." The system ran on a hybrid supply of solar thermal and solar PV power. It was also the first instance of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) – the array didn't use solar panels but instead had solar integrated into the rooftop, similar to the design for Tesla's new roof product.

Achievements in solar conversion efficiency

Between 1957 and 1960, Hoffman Electronics made a number of breakthroughs with photovoltaic efficiency, improving the efficiency record from 8% to 14%. The next major achievement was in 1985 when the University of New South Wales achieved 20% efficiency for silicon cells. In 1999, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory collaborated with SpectroLab Inc. to create a solar cell with 33.3% efficiency. The University of New South Wales broke that record again in 2016 when researchers reached 34.5% efficiency.

Solar-powered airplanes

In 1981, Paul MacCready built Solar Challenger, the first aircraft to run on solar power, and flew it across the English Channel from France to the U.K. In 1998, the remote-controlled solar airplane "Pathfinder" set an altitude record after reaching 80,000 feet. NASA broke that record in 2001 when they reached 96,000 feet with their non-rocket aircraft. In 2016, Bertrand Piccard completed the first zero-emissions flight worldwide with Solar Impulse 2, the world's largest and most powerful solar-powered airplane today.

Solar-powered presidencies

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter had solar panels installed in the White House during his term as president. However, in 1981, President Ronald Reagan ordered the White House solar panels to be removed. In 2010, President Barack Obama requested that solar panels and a solar water heater be installed in the White House. Both were installed during Obama's first term.

Cost of solar over time

Prices for solar panels have dropped substantially over the past few decades, leading to a surge in consumer demand that has produced more than one million U.S. installations as of early 2016. In 1956, solar panels cost roughly $300 per watt. By 1975, that figure had dropped to just over $100 a watt. Today, a solar panel can cost as little as $0.50 a watt. Consider this: since the year 1980, solar panel prices have dropped by at least 10 percent every single year. The plummeting cost of solar is largely responsible for the growing popularity of solar and the legitimacy of PV as a reliable energy source in today's world.

How is more solar power being brought into our electricity systems?

Both the UK and US governments are aiming to decarbonise their electricity systems by 2035, in which renewable energy sources like solar power are set to play a major part.

Can solar power be generated on a cloudy day?

Yes, it can – solar power only requires some level of daylight in order to harness the sun’s energy. That said, the rate at which solar panels generate electricity does vary depending on the amount of direct sunlight and the quality, size, number and location of panels in use.

Who are the largest producers of solar power worldwide?

As of 2022, China is the largest producer of solar powered electricity generation in the world. The US comes in second, followed by Japan, Germany and India.

What are solar farms?

Solar farms, also known as solar parks or solar fields, are large areas of land containing interconnected solar panels positioned together over many acres, to harvest large amounts of solar energy at the same time. Solar farms are designed for large-scale solar energy generation that feed directly into the grid, as opposed to individual solar panels that usually power a single home or building.

How exactly is electricity from solar energy produced?

Solar panels are usually made from silicon, or another semiconductor material installed in a metal panel frame with a glass casing. When this material is exposed to photons of sunlight (very small packets of energy) it releases electrons and produces an electric charge.

This PV charge creates an electric current (specifically, direct current or DC), which is captured by the wiring in solar panels. This DC electricity is then converted to alternating current (AC) by an inverter. AC is the type of electrical current used when you plug appliances into normal wall sockets.

Is solar power a clean energy source?

Yes, solar power is a renewable and infinite energy source that creates no harmful greenhouse gas emissions – as long as the sun continues to shine, energy will be released.

The carbon footprint of solar panels is already quite small, as they last for over 25 years. Plus, the materials used in the panels are increasingly recycled, so the carbon footprint will continue to shrink.

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What are Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)?

Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are dual-purpose: they serve as both the outer layer of a structure and generate electricity for on-site use or export to the grid. BIPV systems can provide savings in materials and electricity costs, reduce pollution, and add to the architectural appeal of a building. Though they can be added to a structure as a retrofit, the greatest value for BIPV systems is realized by including them in the initial building design. By substituting PV for standard materials during the initial construction, builders can reduce the incremental cost of PV systems and eliminate costs and design issues for separate mounting systems.

Building-integrated PV systems are planned during the architectural design stage and are added during initial construction. Building-added PV (BAPV) is planned and built during a retrofit. Both BIPV and BAPV lack the racks and mounting equipment of traditional PV systems. Most designers of integrated solar systems will consider a variety of solar technologies and their possible uses compared to the specific needs of building occupants. For example, semi-transparent thin-film PV can allow for natural day lighting and solar thermal systems can capture heat energy to generate hot water or provide space heating and cooling capacity.

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