Take Advantage Of Alternative Energy Sources

By John Solaris

How solar energy works is an essential piece of information to have when you're talking about alternative forms of power. Made from silicon alloys a photovoltaic cell, or solar cell, is a non mechanical device used to convert energy directly into electrical power. Sunlight is made up of thousands and thousands of particles of energy which are photons.

Photons hold different amounts of energy that match up with the diverse wavelengths on the solar scale. When solar cells pull in a photon it can either reflect, pass completely through, or absorb into the mechanism. When the photons absorb into the solar cell, only then can they be used to make energy. After a certain amount of electricity is gained the solar cells begin to dislodge electrons from the atoms of the semiconductor.

Once energy is made, electricity is produced and released. During this, electrons become dislodged from atoms and depending on the sort of treatment done to the surface of the solar cell, then the more productive the cell will become to any electrons that are now floating free. The free electrons will migrate to the surface of the solar cell, which leaves empty spots where they were and changes the charge to positive.

Negatively charged electrons migrate towards the surface then the imbalanced charge between the two sides of the cell turns the cell into a battery. One side with a positive charge and the other with a negative so that when both sides are connected through external means, a plug for instance, then electricity is produced and begins to flow.

The size of a solar cell can be anything from 0. 5 inches to 4 across and each one cell produces 1-2 watts of power. Not nearly enough power for even our smallest and simplest electronics. After its arrival at the solar cell it then heads to a weather station. The weather station will have an anemometer that measures the speed of wind, a thermometer for temperature, and a pyranometer measuring solar energy.

The solar cell will then send the electrical impulses to the weather station. In the station there's an anemometer to measure wind, a pyranometer to measure solar energy, and a thermometer for temperature. Information from the signals is shipped to an acquisition system where the data is stored and calculated on a steady basis.

Solar energy is quick and efficient and because of that it is one way you can be sure to lower your monthly electricity bill.

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