Solar photovoltaic energy principles involve converting sunlight into electricity through photovoltaic cells. The document discusses the history and development of photovoltaic technology from the 1800s to present day. It provides overviews of different photovoltaic cell technologies including crystalline silicon, thin film technologies, and multi-junction cells. Tables and diagrams are presented on topics like currently available cell efficiencies, market shares of cell technologies, area requirements for different module types, and the components that make up photovoltaic systems.

1. Solar Photovoltaic Energy Principles -1

2. Solar Energy – Contents
• An Overview of Photovoltaics
• PV – Principle of Operation
• Technologies

3. An overview of Photovoltaics
• Photovoltaic systems are solar energy systems
that produce electricity from sunlight.
• Photovoltaic (PV) systems produce clean energy,
reliable energy with out consuming fossil fuels and
can be used in a wide variety of applications.
• A common application of PV technology is proving
power for watches and radios.
• On large scale, many utilities have recently
installed large photovoltaic arrays to provide
consumers with solar-generated electricity, or as
back-up system for critical equipment.

4. Time line of Photovoltaics
• In 1873 British scientist Willough Smith noticed
that selenium was sensitive to light.
• In 1880 Charles Fritts developed the first
selenium-based solar electric cell.
• This cell produced Electricity without consuming
any material substance and with out heat.
• In 1905 Albert Einstein offered explanation of the
photoelectric effect.
• Einstein theories led to a greater understanding of
the physical process of generating electricity from
sunlight.

5. Time line of Photovoltaics
• In 1950 Bell Laboratories began a search for
dependable way to power remote communication
systems.
• In 1954 bell developed a silicon-based cell that
achieved six percent efficiency.
• The first non-laboratory use of PV technology was to
power a telephone repeater station in rural Georgia in
the late 1950s.
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) scientists seeking a lightweight, rugged and
reliable energy source suitable for outer space,
installed a PV system consisting of 108 cells on the
US first satellite, Vanguard 1.

6. Time line of Photovoltaics
• Today, Solar modules supply electricity to more than I
million homes world wide, producing thousands of
jobs and creating sustainable economic opportunities.
• In 2005, world solar PV market installations are
totaled to 1,460 megawatts.
• In 2007, world solar PV market installations are
totaled to 10,000 MW.
• In 2009, world solar PV market installations are
totaled to 22,878 MW.

7. Highest Power plant Installed
Power
MW
Location Description Construction
80.7 Finster world,
Germany
Solar park Q Cells 2010
80 Sarnia
Canada
Sarmia Power 2009-10
70 Rovigo
Itlay
Rovigo Power plant 2010
60 Olmedila
spain
Parque Fotovoltaic
de alarcon
2008
54 Strabkirhen Solar Strabkirhen Q cells 2009

8. Installation in MW as of 2009

9. Summary of commissioned Grid-connected
Solar PV projects in India
S.
No.
location State Total
Capacit
y MW
Technolo
gy
commis
sioned
Installed by Owned
by
1 Jamuria WB 2 PV 2009 Titan
Energy
WBPDC
2 Majitha Punjab 2 PV 2009 Azure
Power
Azure
power
3 Belgaum Karnata
ka
3 PV 2009 Photon
Energy &
Suntechnics
KPCL
4 Kolar 3 PV 2010 Titan
Energy
KPCL
5 Chandra
pur
Mahara
stra
1 Thin film
PV
2010 Moserbear
India
Mahgenc
o
6 Nagaur Rajasth
an
4.8 PV 2010 Reliance Reliance

10. Table-1 Currently available cell and module efficiencies
Technology Cell
Efficiency
%
Module Remarks
Single crystal
silicon
16 – 17 13 - 15 Highest efficiency but
more expensive
Polycrystalline
silicon
14 - 15 12 - 14 Slightly less efficient but
no distinct cost advantage
Amorphous silicon 6 - 7 Very low efficiency but
cheaper fabrication cost
Cadmium telluride 8 - 10 Moderately efficient, just
beginning to make
market impact
Copper indium
diselenide
10 - 11 Most efficient amongst of
thin films, negligible
share

11. NREL Solar Cell Sets
World Efficiency Record
at 40.8 Percent

13. Table-2 Shares of available cell
technologies in 2006
Cell technology Share (%)
Single crystal silicon 43.4
Polycrystalline silicon 46.5
Ribbon sheet (crystalline
silicon)
2.6
Amorphous silicon 4.7
Cadmium telluride 2.7
Copper indium diselenide 0.2

14. Table-3 Comparison between thick (crystalline silicon)
and thin film (amorphous silicon for example)
technologies
Crystalline silicon Amorphous silicon
High quality cells with no change in
performance levels
Not very stable under outdoor light
conditions (loses some power
initially)
High solar-to-electricity conversion
efficiency (14% - 17%)
Very low efficiency
Long life (about 25 years) Short life ( < 10 years)
Occupies market share of more than 90% Market share < 5%

15. Table-4 Average area requirement for different
types of solar modules
Type of module Area requirement (m2
per kWp)
Single crystal silicon ~ 7
Polycrystalline silicon ~ 8
Amorphous silicon ~ 15
Cadmium telluride ~ 11
Copper indium diselenide ~ 10

16. Energy Demand Projections in
India
• Electricity Demand Projections
Year Electricity (billion
kWhr)
Installed Capacity
(MW)
2011-12 1097 219,992
2016-17 1524 305,623
2021-22 2118 424,744
2026-27 2866 574,748
2031-32 3880 778,095
For 8% GDP growth
Source: Energy Policy Report, Planning Commission, India

17. Standards generally used in
photovoltaic panels:
• IEC 61215 (Crystalline Silicon Performance)
• IEC 61646 (Thin Film Performance)
• IEC 61730 (all modules)
• ISO 9488 Solar Energy Vocabulary
• UL 1703,
• CE Mark
• Electrical Safety Tester (EST-series (EST-460,
EST-22V, EST-22H, EST-110)

18. Largest Plant in USA – 14.2MW

19. Nellis - PROJECT SUMMARY
• Largest PV array in Americas
–14.2MW peak output
–Supplies 25% of base electricity
• Designed & implemented by Sun Power Corp
• Owned & operated by MMA Renewables
• Nevada Power to purchase RECs
–Critical to economic viability
• Nellis AFB Lessor & purchaser of power
• 20 year land lease on 140 acre site
• Aggressive construction schedule
–Start in June 07, Complete by December 07

21. Photovoltaic Cell -Operation

22. Ex: Cell produces DC Voltage

23. Concept of Solar PV
Technology

24. Built up of Module

25. Types of PV Cell:
• Single crystal Silicon Cells:
• Made using cells saw-cut from a single
cylindrical crystal of silicon, this is the most
efficient of the photovoltaic (PV)
• technologies. The principle advantage of
monocrystal cells are their high
efficiencies, typically around 15%,
• although the manufacturing process
required to produce monocrystal silicon is
complicated, resulting in slightly higher
costs than other technologies.

26. Types of PV Cell:
Multicrystalline Silicon Cells:
• Made from cells cut from an ingot of melted and recrystallised
silicon. In the manufacturing process, molten silicon
• is cast into ingots of polycrystalline silicon, these ingots are then
saw-cut into very thin wafers and assembled into
• complete cells. Multicrystalline cells are cheaper to produce than
monocrystalline ones, due to the simpler
• manufacturing process. However, they tend to be slightly less
efficient, with average efficiencies of around 12%,
• creating a granular texture.
• Thick-film Silicon:
• Another multicrystalline technology where the silicon is deposited in
a continuous process onto a base material
• giving a fine grained, sparkling appearance. Like all crystalline PV,
this is encapsulated in a transparent insulating
• polymer with a tempered glass cover and usually bound into a
strong aluminium frame.

27. Types of PV Cell:
Amorphous Silicon:
• Amorphous silicon cells are composed of silicon atoms in a
thin homogenous layer rather than a crystal structure
• and it absorbs light more effectively than crystalline silicon,
so the cells can be thinner. For this reason, amorphous
• silicon is also known as a "thin film" PV technology.
Amorphous silicon can be deposited on a wide range of
• substrates, both rigid and flexible, which makes it ideal for
curved surfaces and "fold-away" modules. Amorphous
• cells are, however, less efficient than crystalline based
cells, with typical efficiencies of around 6%, but they are
• easier and therefore cheaper to produce. Their low cost
makes them ideally suited for many applications where
• high efficiency is not required and low cost is important.

28. Multi-junction cell

30. DC Efficiency Vs Irradiation
3.5kWp Triple Junction (Uni-solar)

32. Triple junction Thin

33. Top ten cell suppliers (by power) in 2009
• First Solar
• Suntech
• Sharp
• Yingli
• Trina Solar
• Sunpower Corporation
• Kyocera Corporation
• Canadian Solar
• SolarWorld AG
• Sanyo Electric
7.5 GW of installations were completed and connected in
2009

34. Solar Module

35. Photovoltaic
Cell – Module – Panel - Array

36. Standards generally used in
photovoltaic panels:
• IEC 61215 (Crystalline Silicon Performance)
• IEC 61646 (Thin Film Performance)
• IEC 61730 (all modules)
• ISO 9488 Solar Energy Vocabulary
• UL 1703,
• CE Mark
• Electrical Safety Tester (EST-series (EST-460,
EST-22V, EST-22H, EST-110)

37. Solar Photovoltaic Module
Power at different irradiance

38. Solar Photovoltaic Module
Efficiency at Different Irradiance

39. Solar Photovoltaic Module
Efficiency at Different Temp

40. Solar Photovoltaic Module
Voltage at different temperatures

41. Solar Charge Controller

42. Major Photo System Components

43. Concentrated Solar Power
• Solar power/ solar energy to refer to the conversion of sunlight into electricity. This can be done either
through the photovoltaic effect or by heating a transfer fluid to produce steam to run a generator.
Solar energy technologies harness the sun's energy for practical ends. These technologies date from
the time of the early Greeks, Native Americans and Chinese, who warmed their buildings by orienting
them toward the sun. Modern solar technologies provide heating, lighting, electricity and even flight.
Concentrated sunlight has been used to perform useful tasks from the time of ancient China. A legend
claims Archimedes used polished shields to concentrate sunlight on the invading Roman fleet and
repel them from Syracuse in 212 BC. Leonardo Da Vinci conceived using large-scale solar
concentrators to weld copper in the 15th century. In 1866, Auguste Mouchout success fully powered a
steam engine with sunlight, the first known example of a concentrating solar-powered mechanical
device. Over the following 50 years, inventors such as John Ericsson, and Frank Shuman developed
solar-powered devices for irrigation, refrigeration and locomotion. The progeny of these early
developments are the concentrating solar thermal power plants of today.
Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a
large area of sunlight into a small beam. This is then used to generate electricity. Moreover, the high
temperatures produced by CST systems can be used to provide process heat and steam for a variety
of secondary commercial applications (cogeneration). However, CST technologies require direct
insolation to function and are of limited use in locations with significant cloud cover. The main
methods for producing a concentrated beam are the solar trough, solar power tower and parabolic
dish; the solar bowl is more rarely used. Each concentration method is capable of producing high
temperatures and high efficiencies, but they vary in the way they track the sun and focus light.
Solar Power, captures all the knowledge you need to know on this topic into one comprehensive
report. The report looks at the basics of solar energy, the basics of Concentrated Solar Power, the
technologies used in this process, cost analysis of all the technologies, major ongoing projects, and
much more. The report also analyzes the major players involved in the industry.

44. Diagram of Grid Connected
Photovoltaic System

45. Diagram of
Photovoltaic Hybrid System

46. SOLAR ENERGY POTENTIAL IN INDIA
 Major Climatic Zones
= 6
 Clear sunny days in the year
= 250 to 300
 Annual global solar Insolation
= 1600 to 2200 kWh/m2
 Equivalent energy potential
= 6,000 million GWh
of energy/year

48. The Nellis Air Force Base in Nevad’s largest photo-voltaic array which went on-line in
December, 2007. This public-private partnership with MMA Renewable ventures and
SunPower Corp. will supoply 25% of electricity used by the base, saving American
taxpayers US$1million Annually.

49. Two Axis Tracking
Parabolic Dish Collector

51. Module Inter connection

52. Photovoltaic Modules and Inverter
Build up a Photovoltaic System

53. Possible location of Ground Connection