Solar Power The trends and future of solar power generation Essay Example for Free

Solar Power The tr obliterates and future of solar former generation EssaySolar federal agency is being change magnitudely conceived as a possible choice to traditional capability sources, given the rise in costs associated with traditional energy sources. Although it had for long, been considered as super uneconomic this notion has been changing with the improvement in technologies. It should be noted here that generation of solar causality is currently highly dependent on government subsidies. These subsidies are precise essential for project solar power as an alternative to electricity from traditional fuel sources.However the cost of manufacturing and put solar power generation system has been considerably decreased during the last two decades, during which the installed capacity in any case rose phenomenally. This scenario is in stark contrast to electricity generation from traditional sources where the generation costs increase with the rise in natural gas prices . The need for more power plants to meet the increasing utilization needs, the need to cut emissions and ad prefer other pollution control measures, only keep pushing courtly electricity prices further and further.The global solar capacity is anticipated to be some(predicate) 20 to 40 times its current levels, by 2020, growing by 30 to 35% each year. The solar power generated today would correspondingly rise from 10 gigawatts to 400 gigawatts by 2020. However, despite the prospects for solar power, the solar power generation field is in its early stages such that even if the estimated capacity level reaches the said 20 to 40 times its current level, it would only account for 3 to 6% of the electricity generation readiness or 1.5 to 3% of the total output in 2020.It is now anticipated that in three to sevener years from now, unsubsidized solar power should be available to the end customer at costs compatible to electricity produced by fossil fuels or other alternatives to solar . Parts of US and Italy, Japan and Spain are pass judgment to see the equalization of solar and traditional power costs due to favorable trends and encouraging factors predominate in these regions. Currently unsubsidized solar power costs almost 36 cents per kilowatt-hour. This is expected to be some 12 cents per kilowatt-hour by 2020.The current solar technologies apply are silicon-wafer photovoltaics, deoxidize-film photovoltaics and concentrated solar thermic power. distributively of these technologies have certain advantages with regard to particular usages. Through innovations and cost cuttings, the technologies strive to be more efficient, with deepen applicability. The power conversion efficiency is the amount of electricity generated by the solar radiation corresponding to the locate of the photovoltaic cell, for a particular time period. Efficient systems are directed towards weighing less, with a small radiation collection surface, low cost transportation and ins tallation.Photovoltaic refers to the solar panels which convert solar energy to electricity. The photovoltaic material is mainly formed of pure silicon, which emit electrons when subjected to solar radiation, thereby producing an electric current. art object basic photovoltaic cells are used in calculators and wrist watches, more higher versions are used for powering water pumps, communications equipments and several other off-grid requirements. Photovoltaics are increasingly used as an additional or alternative for utility purposes already serviced by electric grid. More and more people increasingly opt for photovoltaics for several reasons like environmental, economic, emergency requirement, rising electricity costs etc.The silicon-wafer photovoltaics account for close to 90% of installed solar capacity. It is particularly used in rooftop applications associated with space restrictions. Although these are doubly efficient compared to thin-film photovoltaics, their installation is costly. The solar panels themselves are costly too, requiring larger quantities of silicon photovoltaic material compared to thin film photovoltaic solar cells. Another disadvantage is that the theoretical efficiency limit of the photovoltaic single-junction silicon wafer cell, set at 31%, has been neared by several companies already. Although the limit of 31% can be take outed by advanced techniques, these could occupy to increased production costs.The commercially produced thin-film photovoltaics have only been recently proved to reach efficiency levels of about 10%. The lower efficiency levels with respect to silicon-wafer photovoltaics is achieved by very low usage of materials, requiring only about 5% or lesser than that needed for silicon wafer photovoltaics. The manufacturing costs associated with thin-film photovoltaics is almost half that for silicon-wafer, with tremendous prospects of increasing the costing gap in the long run.Thin-film photovoltaics are more used in la rge champaign installations, flat rooftops etc. While silicon-wafer based photovoltaics are capable of providing high output even for a quarter of a decade, the longevity of thin film are uncertain. Cadmium telluride is perhaps the most prospective thin film technology that have been developed commercially. However, the toxicity levels associated with cadmium and the availability of telluride are sorry factors.The concentrated solar thermal power technology converts solar radiation to heat using reflect arrangements. These are then converted to electricity with heat conversion methods. The concentrated solar thermal power is appropriate for village requirements of 10 kilowatts as hearty as for grid applications involving several light speed megawatts (SEPA, 2008).These can be installed at the vicinity of the customers, thereby lowering transmission and distribution costs. Although these are the last(a) in terms of associated costs, they require plenty of open space and very d emanding solar conditions. The concentrated solar thermal technology mostly uses the usual components like reflectors and pipes, and therefore the prospects of costs reduction are less.The challenges confronting the progress of solar power are those that are relevant to any upcoming or emerging sector. precondition the intense competition, companies involved in manufacturing of solar power generation equipment must slash their costs by improving their manufacturing process of solar cells. The spurt in solar power activity has brought in monetary resource from venture capital and private equity firms. An amount of $3.2 billion invested in the year 2007, saw untested players in the solar power generation, who contributed to excess supply and falling prices.Early entrants like Dow Corning and Wacker as well as component developers like First Solar and SunPower saw high margins. At May end this year, the Abu-Dhabi based Masdar announced its entry in the manufacturing of thin film ph otovoltaic products. With an investment of $2 billion, the guild expects to produce the state of art thin film modules, through a three phase strategy. (Ghelfi, 2008). On the previous day to this announcement, Q-Cells, the German solar cell manufacturer, announced an investment of $3.5 billion for developing a production center in Mexico, for manufacturing thin film modules.According to First Solar Inc., a accompany involved in manufacturing of solar modules, its average manufacturing cost for solar module in 2007 was only about $1.23 per watt. The company attributed the low cost to its thin film semiconductor technology compared to crystalline silicon modules, make traditionally. The company expects to become the first solar module manufacturing company to provide non-subsidized solar electricity at retail electricity rates by 2010. A single manufactured solar module is about 2ft by 4ft, employing cadmium telluride as the absorption layer which provides high conversion efficienc y with very curt semiconductor material.From 2005, there had been an increasing demand for silicon from the solar module, solar cell and solar wafer manufacturers. overdue to the insufficient supply of crystalline silicon, the solar modules and cells manufacturers utilization rates fell. The utilization rates fell to 70% in 2005 from 86% in 2004. With the demand increasing considerably, the German cell manufacturer ErSol Solar brawniness reduced its 2007 expectations from 70 megawatts to 55 megawatts, due to fall in wafer supply.The supply shortfall led to a huge hike in silicon prices. The price of the silicon raw material shot to $45 a pound in 2007 from $20 in 2003. The higher prices in turn brought many companies into the credit line of silicon manufacturing. Silicon production rose by 14% in 2007 and is expected to rise by 43% in 2008 and by 50% in the each year 2009 and 2010. By 2010, the supply shortage and the resulting high prices would be taken care of.According to in vestment columnist Jim Jubak, rising prices of natural gases, dimmed developments and cancellations associated with nuclear and coal plants respectively, are pushing the price of solar stocks. Solar cell companies too are highly dependent on technology just as any other computer substantiation makers or cell phone one or television manufacturers. A bill seeking to extend the existing tax break for another six years have been passed by the House slipway and Means Committee. Jubak estimates that with everything looking in favor of solar power, the revenues in the solar industry are very likely to increase phenomenally (Jubak, 2008). Lux Research projects revenues to climb 27% annually, on a heighten basis through 2012. Another estimate from Clayton Securities suggests 17% annual compounded revenue growth through 2016.REFERENCESSolar Electric Power Association (2008) Solar Electricity Basics Electronic Version Downloaded on 29th June 2008 from http//www.solarelectricpower.org/index .php? page=basicsJubak J., (2008) 3 high powered solar stocks Electronic Version Downloaded on 28th June 2008 fromhttp//articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/JubaksJournal/HighPoweredSolarStocks.aspxGhelfi C. (2008) Masdar getting into thin film solar business Electronic Version Downloaded on 27th June 2008 fromhttp//media.cleantech.com/2904/masdar-getting-into-thin-film-solar-business-abu-dhabiLorenz P., Pinner D. Seitz T., The economics of solar power. The McKinsey Quarterly Electronic Version Downloaded on 27th June 2008 from http//www.mckinseyquarterly.com/my_profile.aspx