K & C Stork Solar Power Consultants
Consultants in Moorabool

They should not be confused with panels worn for solar water heating. Photovoltaic cells are usually made from layers of crystalline silicon doped with phosphorous and boron. Phosphorous has more electrons than boron, so the doping produces one crystal with more electrons than other which are called type or type silicon respectively, When brought together, charged particles (electrons) move from one layer to the other. This creates an electric field between the layers and is called IN junction. When energy particles in the form of photons (sunlight) strike electrons near the junction, electrons are released (photoelectric effect). The electric field at the IN junction makes these electrons move across the border between the layers, since an electrical current is made of moving electrons, it can be said that light is converted directly into electricity. As a result, they have a below apex power voltage around 14.5 volts making it harder to overcharge the batteries, However, this means that they do not yield a lofty enough voltage to permit for voltage losses in many systems. Mono crystalline Cells Mono crystalline cells are cut from large single crystal ingots grown from molten silicon. These cells require to be compressed enough to trap all the photons. Generally these cells have the greatest efficiencies with commercially produced mono crystalline panels having efficiencies between 1217. Laboratory cells can have efficiencies over 24. However they require more energy to manufacture though the energy payback period is usually within 5 years. Poly crystalline Cells' Poly crystalline silicon is made by casting an ingot of silicon, resulting in many little crystals pieced together. A disadvantage of poly crystalline cells is that the boundaries between the small crystals tend to trap electrons and act as barriers to electron movement or bear a path for electrical shorts across the cell. Manufacturers must ensure that the crystals are large adequate for photo generated electrons to be collected by the In junction and printed cell grid earlier they reach a crystal boundary. Amorphous Cells Single and poly crystalline cells are produced from important blocks and then cut into wafers. However the only active segment of a photo voltaic cells is the region near the In junction, a few millionths of a centimeter thick. Amorphous cells use techniques such as the condensation of gaseous silicon to make cells whose thickness can be measured in numbers of atomic layers. About 12 is the best that has ever been achieved for multilayer cells with usual single layer efficiencies around 10. Photovoltaics in these situations are often easier and cheaper to install than an extension to the grid, and besides, who wants to look at sticks and wires on your land! Maximum people install grid connected systems for environmental reasons and for independence of supply. Bell Laboratories made the first commercial silicon cell in 1954. Chris was based in Ballarat Victoria, for one year, and in 1987 transferred to the western suburbs of Melbourne, where he spent the following few years completing his apprenticeship, and gaining field experience with installation and faultfinding on all types of electronics and communications equipment. Over many years of tinkering and experimenting with solar energy as a hobby, Chris decided to take this interest further, and in 1995 completed the renewable energy course and passed all exams with a pass rate of 99 for design and installation of distant area power systems with The Sustainable Energy Industries Association of Australia (now called the business Council for Sustainable Energy).