Power assignment #1

Solar power:-
The Sun is an extremely powerful energy source, and sunlight is by far the largest
source of energy received by Earth so the sun is the primary source of energy.
Solar power is basically the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity.
The radiation from the sun is capable of producing heat causing chemical
reactions, or generating electricity. The total amount of solar energy incident on
Earth is vastly in excess of the world’s current and anticipated energy
requirements. In the 21st century solar energy is expected to become increasingly
attractive as a renewable energy source because of its inexhaustible supply and its
nonpolluting character, in contrast to the finite fossil fuels coal, petroleum,
and natural gas.

Solar power plant:

Solar power plant is based on the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either

directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar
power (CSP). Concentrated solar power systems use lenses, mirrors, and tracking
systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics converts
light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.

Types of Solar Power Plants:-There are many different kinds of solar power
plants which can be installed. It is possible to make use of solar power plants in an
active and passive manner.
  Passive solar heat is using absorptive structures with no moving parts
to gather and hold heat. Greenhouse design
 Active solar heat is when a system pumps a heat-absorbing medium
through a collector, rather than passively collecting heat in a
stationary object.
There are many different kinds of solar power plants which are constructed all over
the world. They include the photovoltaic solar energy plant, solar thermal
energy plant and concentrating power plant.

1. Photovoltaic solar energy plant – This is the appropriate substitute for the
usual electrical energy which is used in houses for powering electrical appliances.
Photovoltaic cells will capture the energy which is generated from the sun and get
it converted into electricity. The process of energy conversion is clean and simple
and it does not involve injecting any kind of smoke or harmful chemicals into the
atmosphere. A lot of companies have decided to have grids containing photovoltaic
cells installed on their premises so that they can derive the maximum amount of
energy from them and also reduce their dependence on the traditional forms of
electrical energy.

2. Solar Thermal energy plant – A solar thermal energy plant will be used for
creating solar generated heaters which can be used for heating water and also as an
indoor heating system. Thermal cells will be used to capture the energy which has
been generated by the sun and then convert it into heat energy.

It is also possible to make use of this energy for cooking purposes and also for
drying clothes. Low temperatures can be used for heating water as well as
swimming pools. Medium heat is used for heating up the inside of homes as well
as office buildings. High temperatures will help in generating the electricity which
is needed for everyday uses in homes and offices.

3. Concentrating power plant – The method of functioning of these solar power

plants is similar to that of the photovoltaic solar energy plants. The extra addition
in these concentrating power plants is that they make use of mirrors and lenses in
order to capture energy from the rays of the sun. The light from the sun will be
directed towards the photovoltaic cells and they will be converted into heat energy.
Usually very big companies make use of these concentrating power plants for
utilizing solar energy. The presence of solar power plants in many parts of the
world has made it possible for the energy from the sun to be utilized in the right
manner. They help in reducing the consumption of electricity to a large extent.

Advantages:

 Solar power is pollution free and causes no greenhouse gases to be

emitted after installation
 Reduced dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels
 Renewable clean power that is available every day of the year, even
cloudy days produce some power
 Return on investment unlike paying for utility bills
 Virtually no maintenance as solar panels last over 30 years
 Creates jobs by employing solar panel manufacturers, solar installers, etc.
and in turn helps the economy
 Excess power can be sold back to the power company if grid intertied
 Ability to live grid free if all power generated provides enough for the
home / building
 Can be installed virtually anywhere; in a field to on a building
 Use batteries to store extra power for use at night
 Solar can be used to heat water, power homes and building, even power
cars
 Safer than traditional electric current
 Efficiency is always improving so the same size solar that is available
today will become more efficient tomorrow
 Aesthetics are improving making the solar more versatile compared to
older models; i.e. printing, flexible, solar shingles, etc.
 Federal grants, tax incentives, and rebate programs are available to help
with initial costs

Disadvantages
 High initial costs for material and installation and long ROI
 Needs lots of space as efficiency is not 100% yet
 No solar power at night so there is a need for a large battery bank.
 Devices that run on DC power directly are more expensive
 Depending on geographical location the size of the solar panels vary for
the same power generation
  Cloudy days do not produce much energy
 Solar panels are not being massed produced due to lack of material and
technology to lower the cost enough to be more affordable
 Solar powered cars do not have the same speeds and power as typical gas
powered cars
 Lower production in the winter months.

World’s biggest solar power plant:-

Name: Tengger Desert Solar Park is the world's largest photovoltaic plant.

Location : Zhongwei, Ningxia, China.

Land occupied : 43 Km2 .

Generating power : 1,547 MW.

It is also known as “Great Wall of Solar”.

Biggest solar power plant in Pakistan:-

Name : Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park.

Location :  In the desert area of Lal Sohanra, Cholistan, Bahawalpur.

Land occupied : 500 acres

Initial project plan : 1000 MW

Installed capacity : 100 MW

Total initial cost :  $ 215, million, with major EPC cost of $131 Million.