what are the practical problems using solar energy
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The sun offers the most abundant, reliable and pollution-free power in the world. However, problems with solar energy, namely the expensive cost and inconsistent availability, have prevented it from becoming a more utilized energy source.
Solar power makes up a tiny fraction of all power produced in North America, even though there are vast regions of the continent where there is an abundance of sunshine. To harvest more of this free energy, we need to discover new materials, develop new production techniques and solve the problem of storing energy when the sun isn't shining.
What is hampering solar power has everything to do with cost. It is five to eleven times more expensive to produce electricity from the sun than it is from coal, hydro or nuclear sources. The first problem is with the cost of the technology:
Solar panels use expensive semiconductor material to generate electricity directly from sunlight. Semiconductor factories need 'clean' manufacturing environments and are expensive to build & maintain.
The efficiency of solar cells currently ranges from around 20% up to a top range of around 40%, although this continues to improve. The rest of the sunlight that strikes the panel is wasted as heat. More efficient photovoltaic cells have been discovered (up to 43% efficient - see How efficient is solar energy? - but these are still in relatively new and are expensive to manufacture).
It will likely take decades to discover new materials and methods of making solar panels less expensive. How long it takes depends on how much time and money is invested into solar energy research both by government and private industry.
But even if the fundamental cost hurdles of the technology are overcome, there are still other issues:
Installing solar panels on a house is expensive and requires experienced people. These systems used fixed solar panels since alignment systems are too expensive for the average homeowner (see: How to determine the correct angle for solar panels). The initial investment outlay is a significant factor in why there is a lack of support for solar power from consumers.
Solar power makes up a tiny fraction of all power produced in North America, even though there are vast regions of the continent where there is an abundance of sunshine. To harvest more of this free energy, we need to discover new materials, develop new production techniques and solve the problem of storing energy when the sun isn't shining.
What is hampering solar power has everything to do with cost. It is five to eleven times more expensive to produce electricity from the sun than it is from coal, hydro or nuclear sources. The first problem is with the cost of the technology:
Solar panels use expensive semiconductor material to generate electricity directly from sunlight. Semiconductor factories need 'clean' manufacturing environments and are expensive to build & maintain.
The efficiency of solar cells currently ranges from around 20% up to a top range of around 40%, although this continues to improve. The rest of the sunlight that strikes the panel is wasted as heat. More efficient photovoltaic cells have been discovered (up to 43% efficient - see How efficient is solar energy? - but these are still in relatively new and are expensive to manufacture).
It will likely take decades to discover new materials and methods of making solar panels less expensive. How long it takes depends on how much time and money is invested into solar energy research both by government and private industry.
But even if the fundamental cost hurdles of the technology are overcome, there are still other issues:
Installing solar panels on a house is expensive and requires experienced people. These systems used fixed solar panels since alignment systems are too expensive for the average homeowner (see: How to determine the correct angle for solar panels). The initial investment outlay is a significant factor in why there is a lack of support for solar power from consumers.
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The five most common problems with solar panels
Hot spots on the panels. Hot spots are places on the panels which are overloaded and therefore become warm. ...
Micro-cracks. One phenomenon we regularly encounter are 'micro-cracks' in crystalline PV panels. ...
Snail trail contamination. ...
PID Effect. ...
Internal corrosion, delamination.
Explanation:
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