Alternative Energy and You

Alternative Energy is a common phrase for many different types of energy. The most common being solar, wind, hydro and bio-fuels. We specialized in solar, wind and hydro for residential, commercial & industrial applications.

SOLAR

PHOTOVOLTAIC BASICS

Photovoltaic (or PV) systems convert light energy into electricity. The term "photo" is a stem from the Greek "phos," which means "light." "Volt" is named for Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), a pioneer in the study of electricity.

In 1839, Edmond Becquerel discovered that certain materials produced small amounts of electric current when exposed to light. The first solar electric module was built by Charles Fritts in 1883. It was made of Selenium coated with a thin layer of Gold. The ou tput however was not efficient. In 1954, D.M. Chapin, C.S. Fuller and G.L. Pearson, of Bell Laboratory, patented a way of making electricity directly from sunlight using silicon-based solar cells. The next year, the Hoffman Electronics-Semiconductor Division announced the first commercial PV product, that was 2.0-percent efficient, priced at $25 per cell, at 14 milliwatts each, or $1,785 per watt (in 1955 dollars). By the mid-1960s, efficiency levels were nearing 10 percent.

We call modern day devices that convert sunlight into energy photovoltaic cells, or "PVs" for short. More commonly, they're known as solar cells. We can find them on calculators, sidewalk lighting systems and along side freeways to power phones for stranded motorists.

Solar photovoltaic cells are small, square shaped panel semiconductors manufactured in thin film layers from s ilicon and other conductive materials. When sunlight strikes the PV cell, chemical reactions release electrons, generating electric current. This current, together with the cell's voltage (which is a result of its built-in electric field or fields), defines the power (or wattage) that the solar cell can produce.