Solar Cells: Convert the Sun's Rays Into Power!
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With the high price of electricity these days, you are looking for a way to cut back on your energy costs. You are buying the latest energy saving appliances, and turning into a Nazi when it comes to keeping the lights off in rooms we are not using. Thankfully, there are a number of ecologically safe methods of producing your own electricity for free. But, high electricity rates are not the only reason people around the planet are evolving into a ecologically literate people. More and more people are becoming aware of just how dangerous nonrenewable energy is. The tragic fukushima, japan earth quake has proven just how dangerous nuclear plants can be. And, that isn't even close to the damage that is being caused by coal production. But, even though I could go on all day about the evils of the coal industry... I need to turn our attention to a ally in this ecological war: Solar Cells. |
What are Solar Cells?  A solar power cell is a electrical device that absorbs solar energy and converts it into working electricity. They are used to create solar panels. They are also called PV Cells, which is short for Photovoltaic cell. They are created using a semi conductive material called silicon. |
How a Solar Power Cell Works
- Photons from sun light make contact with the solar panel and are absorbed by semiconducting materials, such as silicon.
- Negatively charged electrons are knocked loose from their atoms, creating an electric current. The electric current then flows through the cell and this electricity is captured.
- Once the PV Cells are assembled into a solar panel, the energy is converted into direct current (DC) electricity.
Practical Applications
There are many different ways you could integrate solar energy cells into your life.
You can go big or small.
You can use solar energy for your entire house, or use it for something small like a laptop charger… the applications are almost endless!
Here are just a few to consider:
- Solar Water Heater
- A whole home Solar Power System
- Portable Solar Energy Battery Packs
- Integrate a Solar System into your RV
- Solar Toys For the Kids (or You)
- Home Generator
- Solar Backpack
- Phone Charger
- Laptop Charger
- Gardening Lights
- Security Lights
Solar Cell Companies
You can buy solar panels from many different retailers world wide, and online.
The prices are dropping at a very promising speed due to competition in the world market, and cheaper methods of production.
Here is a short list of some of the larger companies that are probably supplying the retailer you purchase from:
JA Solar Holdings
JA Solar Holdings designs, manufactures, and sells monocrystalline solar cells primarily in the People’s Republic of China.
It sells its products primarily via a team of sales and marketing personnel to solar module manufacturers, who assemble and integrate its solar cells into modules and systems that convert sunlight into electricity.
JA Solar Holdings also sells its products to customers in Germany, Sweden, Spain, South Korea, and the United States.
The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Ningjin, in the People’s Republic of China.
In December 2009 investors began to notice the growing market share of JA Solar which was fueled by a large subsidy from the Chinese Government.
Suntech Power
Suntech Power is a producer of solar panels. With offices or production facilities in every major market, Suntech has delivered more than 13,000,000 solar panels to thousands of companies in more than 80 countries around the world.
As the center for the company's global operations, Suntech headquarters, in Wuxi, China, features the world's largest building integrated solar facade.
First Solar
American manufacturer of thin film photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, and a provider of PV power plants and supporting services that include finance, construction, maintenance and end-of-life panel recycling.
First Solar uses cadmium telluride (CdTe) as a semiconductor to produce panels that are less expensive than those manufactured from crystalline silicon.
Sharp Solar
Sharp Solar produces thin film modules and mono and poly-crystalline silicon solar cells.
Sharp's photovoltaic (PV) panels are used for many applications, from satellites to lighthouses, and industrial applications to residential use. Sharp began researching solar cells in 1959 with mass production first beginning in 1963.
Production capacity amounted to 324 MW in 2004.
In 2010, they were the #1 producer of PV cells, in terms of revenues.
Yingli
Yingli is a leading solar energy company and one of the world’s first fully vertically integrated photovoltaic manufacturers.
The company develops, manufactures, and sells solar modules under the brand name Yingli Solar to a wide range of markets, including Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, South Korea, China, Japan, Australia, and the United States.
Headquartered in Baoding, China, the company supports the global solar market with more than 20 branch offices and subsidiaries around the world.
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