Solar Energy Fundamentals
Solar panels usually convert sunlight into this form of energy?
What is electrical energy?
Excessive heat reduces the output of solar panels, affecting this performance metric often expressed as a percentage.
What is efficiency?
Solar energy systems cannot produce electricity at night, making them dependent on this type of infrastructure to provide power around the clock.
What are energy storage systems or backup power sources?
This is the most common technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity using solar panels.
What is photovoltaic (PV) technology?
Solar panels absorb sunlight to create electricity. This process relies on the transfer of energy through which fundamental thermodynamic/heat transfer mechanism?
What is radiation?
The ideal efficiency of converting heat into work is described by this thermodynamic cycle, it is dependent on temperature differences.
What is the Carnot cycle?
Solar farms require large amounts of this resource, which can be a challenge in densely populated or urban areas.
What is land?
Solar thermal systems heat water or air directly for use in homes or businesses. This type of energy is most commonly used for what?
What is water heating?
Solar thermal systems store heat for energy use. This stored heat represents what general thermodynamic form of energy?
What is internal energy?
A solar panel's real-world efficiency is always less than the theoretical maximum because of energy losses explained by which law of thermodynamics?
What is the Second Law of Thermodynamics?
Regions with frequent cloud cover or long winters struggle to adopt solar energy because of this natural limitation.
What is inconsistent sunlight?
This type of solar system uses mirrors to focus sunlight to produce heat, which is then used to generate electricity.
What is concentrated solar power (CSP)?
The efficiency of solar panels is limited because some of the absorbed sunlight is converted into heat rather than electricity. This limitation arises due to which thermodynamic principle?
What is the Second Law of Thermodynamics?
In real-world solar power systems, efficiency is reduced due to energy lost in electrical components. These losses are collectively known by what thermodynamic term?
What are irreversibilities
Solar power systems require significant upfront investment and have a long payback period, creating challenges in securing this type of financial support
What is funding or capital investment?
New solar technologies use see-through panels to generate electricity while still allowing light to pass through. These are ideal for buildings and are called what?
What are solar windows?
The theoretical maximum efficiency of solar panels is influenced by the increase in this thermodynamic quantity during energy conversion.?
Solar panels are more efficient in cooler environments because lower temperatures reduce the impact of this property.
What is thermal resistance or heat dissipation?
Installing solar panels in remote areas is difficult because of the lack of this critical infrastructure needed to transport electricity.
What is a power grid?
Solar fuel technologies aim to produce clean fuels, like hydrogen, by mimicking this natural process used by plants.
What is photosynthesis?