Solar Electric (Photovoltaic)
- Page 2 of 2
Recent PV Documents Available from PV4U
Siemens Solar Online Siemens Solar is the world's leading manufacturer of solar modules - with technological pre-eminence, 30 years experience and customer-oriented solutions.
Solar Electric Buildings This brochure presents a broad look at photovoltaic-powered buildings. It includes residential and commercial systems, both stand-alone and connected to utility power, that are located in urban, near-urban, and rural settings around the world. As photovoltaic (PV) technology continues to improve and costs drop, opportunities for PV will multiply. PV systems for buildings, such as those shown here, represent one of the strongest near-term markets.
Solar Electric (Photovoltaic) Resources EcoNet's links to solar electric (photovoltaic) resources.
Solar Electric Specialties Co. Since 1980, Solar Electric Specialties (SES) has been a leading manufacturer of integrated photovoltaic power systems and a major wholesale distributor of the highest quality photovoltaic modules and system components.
Solar Energy An extensive listing of solar energy-related links.
Solar Energy Systems from Idaho Power For many years there has been an intense effort to develop cost-effective, solar photovoltaic systems that convert sunlight to electricity. That effort has been successful and solar technology is now moving from the laboratory to the marketplace. Idaho Power is taking a leading role in this movement by offering solar energy systems to its customers.
Solarex's Home Page Founded in 1973, they were the first organization to apply solar-electric (also known as photovoltaic or "PV" ) technology--previously used primarily on spacecraft-- to commercial needs on Earth. Owned jointly by Amoco Corporation and Enron Corp, they are the largest manufacturer of polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and cells, and are a leader in the rapidly developing field of thin-film silicon technology. They have offices worldwide, ISO 9001-certified manufacturing facilities in Australia and the U.S., and power systems operating on every continent.
Solar Photovoltaics for Development Applications This document introduces photovoltaic technology to individuals and groups specializing in development activities. Examples of actual installations illustrate the many services supplied by photovoltaic systems in development applications, including water pumping, lighting, health care, refrigeration, communications, and a variety of productive uses. The various aspects of the technology are explored to help potential users evaluate whether photovoltaics can assist them in achieving their organizational goals. Basic system design, financing techniques, and the importance of infrastructure are included, along with additional sources of information and major U.S. photovoltaic system suppliers.
Sunelco The Sun Electric Company (Sunelco) came into being in 1984. The brainchild of Daniel Brandborg, Sunelco grew into a career in solar energy promotion and development that represented a positive contribution to solving social, environmental and energy problems.
SunLight Power International, Inc. SunLight Power International, Inc., is a global solar electric services company with a mission to provide low-cost, high-quality, non-polluting, and profitable solar electric services to populations needing electricity worldwide. SunLight will provide this service primarily through locally managed centers of operations that will install and maintain small solar systems in exchange for a monthly fee. Consumers already are spending an equivalent amount per month on kerosene, dry cell batteries, and other less productive, more costly means of power generation for less light and electricity service. SunLight offers up to four different systems to accommodate individual needs and affordability.
Sun Selector - The Solar Site At this site, you can see the best way to control and organize a home photovoltaic (solar) power system.
Tapping Into the Sun - Electricity from the Sun Almost like magic, solar cells convert sunlight directly into electricity—our most versatile form of energy. Today solar-generated electricity serves people living in the most isolated spots on earth and in the center of our biggest cities. First used in the space program, PV systems are now generating electricity to pump water, light up the night, activate switches, charge batteries, supply the electric utility grid, and more. Whether you are a homeowner, planner, architect, or just someone who pays electric utility bills, photovoltaics may already touch your life in some way.
The Dawning of Solar Electric Architecture Interest in the building integration of photovoltaics, where the PV elements actually become an integral part of the building, often serving as the exterior weathering skin, is growing world-wide. PV specialists from some 15 countries are working within the International Energy Agency's Task 16 on a 5-year effort to optimize these systems and architects in Europe, Japan and the US are now beginning to explore innovative ways of incorporating solar electricity into their building designs.
The Solar Century The Solar Century seeks to expand the use of solar power in order to fight global warming and promote sustainable development. We do this in two ways: by building a global solar consumer alliance of businesses, organisations, and individuals and by developing an investor's forum to promote investment in solar companies and projects. Income from both activities contributes to our Global Community Fund,dedicated to providing solar for those in need.
Thin Films: Past, Present, Future Thin-film photovoltaic technologies are being developed as a means of substantially reducing the cost of photovoltaic (PV) systems. The rationale for this is that thin-film modules are expected to be cheaper to manufacture owing to their reduced material costs, energy costs, handling costs and capital costs. However, thin films have had to be developed using new semiconductor materials, including amorphous silicon, copper indium diselenide, cadmium telluride and film crystalline silicon. In all cases, these technologies faced major technical and financial hurdles. The most crucial technical barriers are described within the text. Today, much progress has been made, and the performance of the best thin-film laboratory cells approaches the best performance of polycrystalline silicon cells. Outdoor stability has been a problem, especially with amorphous silicon, but this material and newer thin films now display good to excellent stability. It appears that the goal of thin films—truly low-cost PV electricity that can be sold into energy-significant markets—can be achieved. However, its achievement will require both the continuing resolution of technical problems and the ongoing investment of significant public and private resources.
United Solar Systems Corp. United Solar Systems Corp. is an American joint venture solar cell manufacturing company based in Troy, MI. The company was formed in 1990 by Energy Conversion Devices, Inc., and Canon Inc. United Solar's unique thin-film solar cell technology achieves unprecendented levels of efficiency for amorphous silicon solar cells through the use of proprietary triple-junction spectrum-splitting cell design. Its advanced roll-to-roll manufacturing process uses a flexible stainless steel substrate that enables low-cost production and the development of many types of light-weight, robust, flexible and rigid solar cell modules.
Utility Grid-Connected Distributed Power Systems The utility grid-connected market has been identified as a key market to be developed to accelerate the commercialization of photovoltaics. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has completed the first three years of a continuing commercialization effort based on the sustained, orderly development of the grid-connected, utility PV market. This program is aimed at developing the experience needed to successfully integrate PV as distributed generation into the utility system and to stimulate the collaborative processes needed to accelerate the cost-reductions necessary for PV to be cost-effective in these applications by about the year 2000.
Utility PhotoVoltaic Group (UPVG) The Utility PhotoVoltaic Group (UPVG), with funding support from the U.S. Department of Energy, is led and managed by the market itself-the potential utility buyers of solar photovoltaic systems. The mission of the UPVG is to accelerate the use of cost-effective small-scale and emerging large-scale applications of PV for the benefit of electric utilities and their customers.
University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaics Research and Education (UCEP) The Department of Energy (DOE) has established a University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaics Research and Education (UCEP) at Georgia Tech, one of two such centers in the United States. The mission of the Center is to improve the fundamental understanding of the science and technology of advanced PV devices, to fabricate record high efficiency solar cells, to provide training and enrich the educational experience of students in this field, and to give the U.S. a competitive edge by providing guidelines to industry and DOE for achieving cost-effective and high-efficiency PV devices.
What Type of PV System Will I Need? This article discusses the following topics: Small Stand-Alone DC System; Stand-Alone AC-DC System; Stand-Alone AC System; PV-Generator Combination; Utility Interface; Utility Intertie; Calculating System Loads; System Sizing; etc.
Home Page 1 | 2 Previous Page
General | Solar Thermal | Solar Electric (Photovoltaic)
Wind | Hydroelectric | Biomass | Alternative Fuels
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) | Wave Energy
Tidal Energy | Geothermal Energy
Energy - General | Energy Conservation and Efficiency | Renewable Energy
Value/Benefits of Renewable Energy | Utility Integration of Renewables
Sustainable Development | Sustainable Tourism | Village Power/Rural Electrification
Energy Incentive Programs/Financing Alternatives
Energy Economics/Environmental Economics
Avoided Cost Determination/Externalities
Energy Facility Siting and Permitting
Energy and Environmental Education | Environmental Issues
Electric and Hybrid Vehicles | Solar Cars | Human Powered Vehicles
If you have any comments or questions, or recommendations concerning additional information or links to include on this page, contact me at:
David Rezachek