Solar and Wind Power and Alternative Energy Information

Solar Panels

There are different kinds of Solar Panels; Silicon Monocrystalline, Silicon Polycrystalline, and Thin Film - Triple Junction.

Solar panels, or photovoltaic panels, consist of many individual cells made from two or more thin layers of semi-conducting material, most often silicon.

Solar panels exposed to light generate electricity.

Solar panels are generally maintenance free and many manufacturers will supply a guarantee of electrical output sometimes for as long as twenty five years.

Solar panels are available that are flexible enough to bend and fit slight curves on board an electric boat, and also can be strong enough to be walked on.

Solar Panels are most efficient when directly facing the sun so a means to position the solar panel as the sun moves across the sky would maximise the available solar power - not always practical on an electric boat.

Solar panels are an expensive way of producing electricity, and the electricity is certainly not free, if the capital depreciation cost of the solar panel is taken into account.

Solar panels efficiency and ability to produce electricity is reduced if even one of the cells in the solar panel are in shadow. Thin Film Triple Junction Solar Panels are most resistent to this loss of power caused by clouds or shadows.

Photovoltaics (PV), the use of semiconductor materials to convert sunlight directly into electricity, have dropped in price to between one-third and one-fifth their cost in 1980. Source: IEA Renewable Energy Working Party

Solar Panels

Solar Power on the web.

IEA Renewable Energy Working Party - IEA Renewable Energy Working Party - PDF report on renewable energy.

Free Solar Power - Free Solar Power - A good overview site for an introduction to free solar power. There are solar power tutorials and design tools. The site is well laid out and has lots and lots of useful solar power information. Well worth a look.

Shell Solar - Shell Solar - The Solar Power pages at the huge Shell corporation.