Sun Is The Future

If you are in favor of renewable/CLEAN energy, please sign the petition page showing support for FIT/CLEAN Program at http://sunisthefuture.net/?page_id=1065 Thank you.

Dear readers/friends, I hope you will stay with me for 3 more posts (up to What Is Solar Cell (7)) before we move on to another topic in solar energy. Thank you for your patience.

In the previous post, you have seen that Boron and Phosphorous may be used to as dopping material to be added to Silicon in the process of making semiconductor material for solar cell. But there are also other alternatives.  As a matter of fact, instead of silicon, gallium arsenide (GaAs) is another possibility.  GaAs based multijunction devices are the most efficient solar cells to date, reaching 42.3% by the triple junction metamorphic cell.  High-efficiency multijunction cells were originally developed for applications such as satellites and space exploration.  Triple junction GaAs solar cells were also being used as the power source of the Dutch four-time World Solar Challenge winners Nuna in 2003, 2005, and 2007.

Scientists and engineers are constantly looking for alternatives that would help to increase efficiency and decrease cost.  Most commercially available solar cells are capable of producing electricity for at least 20 years without significant decrease in efficiency.  Typical warranty given by panel manufacturers is for a period of 25-30 years, without having output falling below a specified percentage of the rated capacity. So, there are products and technologies that need to be tested and validated.  In U.S., NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), located in Golden, Colorado, established in 1974 and began its operation in 1977 as the Solar Energy Research Institute, tests and validates solar technologies.

Keep in mind that there are three reliable certifications of solar equipment: UL, IEEE, and IEC.

1. UL: Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is an independent product safety certification organization established in 1894 and has its headquarters in Northbrook, IL.
2. IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers or IEEE (read I-triple E) is a non-profit professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation related to electricity. (45% of its members are located outside of US).
3. IEC: International Electrotechnical Commission is a non-profit, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic, and related technologies.

Now, I have a clip for you at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRqmTpozPYA or simply click below:

Stay tuned at the same bat channel…more will be in store for you…

Please feel free to leave comments or questions.

Posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker, sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Homepage: http://sunisthefuture.net http://sunisthefuture.com http://sunisthefuture.org
Any comments and suggestions are welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com

Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics:

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Tags: clean energy, electrical technologies, electricity, GaAs, gallium arsenide, IEC, IEEE, IL, innovation, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, International Electrotechinical Commission, international electrotechnical commission, international standards, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, northbrook, NREL, Nuna, nunamaker, renewable energy, solar cell, Solar Energy, Sun, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.com, sunisthefuture.net, susan, susan sun nunamaker, triple junction, UL, underwriters laboratories inc., Underwriters Laboratory, World Solar Challenge

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