Solar Power

By: Douglas Hull, Sean Hare, and

Omar Elauri

Richard, J.

AP Environmental Science

Period 5

Source

• Solar power comes from the sun.• The Sun is mostly composed of hydrogen

gas and helium gas.

Efficiency and Cost

• The conversion efficiency from solar energy into electrical energy is roughly 40% with recently discovered technology

• Currently the California state government rebates a total of 30% tax credit for solar panels

• 1 watt on a solar panel cost about $12• The approximate cost is 8 to 10 cents per

kilowatt hour

Equipment Extraction and Use

• Solar Cells are the main component. They are made mostly from steel and silicon which must be mined and converted into usable materials

• They are preferably placed in areas where there is plenty of direct sunlight, but can be used even in cloudy areas, such as Germany

Usage of Solar Power

• Approximately 8% of the electricity in the U.S. is generated by solar panels.

• Almost all U.S. solar power is generated in residential areas.

• Worldwide, 0.5% of all electricity is generated by solar panels. It is projected that it will rise to 2.5% by the year 2025.

The Advantages of Solar Panels

• Solar energy is basically inexhaustible.• It can save money overtime by lowering your

electric bill.• If you generate enough energy, electrical

companies will pay you back some money for extra electricity you generate.

• Solar cells have no moving parts.• Solar cells are expected to lower in price soon

The Disadvantages of Solar Panels

• Solar panels cost a mint to buy and therefore people are less inclined to buy them.

• The sun isn't always available in cloudy or tree covered areas.

• During night time we can not obtain sun at night so we store energy in batteries and those take space to store.

• In wet climates, they can corrode.