In everyday life, we really need electricity. Without electricity, all will experience congestion and panic. The wheels of the economy and others will stop. The human need for electricity is a major need, especially in this day and age.
Actually, there are many sources of energy that can be used to generate electricity without relying on fossil fuels and are environmentally friendly. One of them is with solar thermal energy.
Solar Power Plant
With equipment called solar cells, this Solar Power Plant can convert sunlight into electricity.
In ancient times, human activities depended on the sun. If it is dark, the activity will stop. But now, we can manage electricity usage and use it anytime.
Advantages of power generation:
- Does not make a noisy / noisy sound.
- Requires little maintenance.
- Does not pollute the environment, clean and safe.
- Economical and flexible especially for remote areas. To produce 1 kilowatt of solar power it takes 80 million, while with solar cells it is only 3 million.
History of Solar Cells
Converting sunlight into electricity has actually been introduced a long time ago. In 1839, French physicist Alexander Edmond Becquerel had observed that certain materials would produce an electric current even in small amounts when exposed to sunlight.
This effect is known as the photovoltaic effect, derived from the Greek, photos which means light and voltage which means electric current.
Then in 1881, Thomas Edison, known for his light bulb, started the birth of the electric grid by excavating Lower Manhattan to lay copper wires in a brick tunnel.
Edison set up the Pearl Street power station and station in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge. In 1882, in the office of tycoon JP Morgan, Edison made a knob. That's when hundreds of light bulbs lit at Drexel, Morgan and Co., as well as a number of offices nearby. The
solar cell material was only discovered in 1883 by Charles Fritts. Made of thin selenium conductors that are plated with gold. The cell works to convert sunlight into direct electric current (DC) with a current converter, eventually electricity can be generated with alternating current (AC).
This type of electricity is what we often use at home. Solar cells vary in size, most measuring 10x10cm and generating about 0.5 Volts of electricity.
How Solar Cells Work
Sunlight hits the panel. The thin slab of solar cells then absorbs the sunlight. The electrons from the solar cell are released from their atoms and flow inside the cell and produce direct electric current.
Generally, the basic material of the panel is crystalline silicon which is divided into three categories: monocrystal, polycrystalline, and silicon tape.
In Indonesia, solar cells were first introduced in 1987 with a solar home system (SHS). SHS consists of panels, solar, batteries and lights.
Panels measuring 1 square meter are installed on the roof of the house. This panel uses DC lamps, because it does not use an inverter. One SHS panel can produce 50 Watts of about 8 hours of use.
Photovoltaic power generation systems are actually categorized into three types, namely:
Autonomous, this system is really a single power plant. Usually used in remote places. Generally require a battery to store electricity.
Hybrid, getting electricity from a solar generator and one or more additional generators, such as wind power generators. These systems generally require batteries to store electricity.
Connected to the grid, allows us to reduce electricity consumption and provide excess electricity to the grid. Batteries are not needed unless we want them. The type chosen depends on the needs, allocation and budget.