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Advances in Solar Electric Generation
Technology
Jeffrey Havelin, P.E.
Overview
The
vast majority of the world's energy is produced from fossil fuels and other
non-sustainable fuel sources. However, dwindling reservoirs and increased
exploration costs for fossil fuels are helping to make renewable energy sources,
such as solar power, more attractive. At the same time, advances in
technology are making solar power more affordable. As a result, the
worldwide market for Photovoltaic (PV) Cells, also known as "solar cells", is
growing at a brisk pace.
This
course covers the basics of solar electric generation technology, including the
various types of systems available and their relative merits. The latest
developments in solar power technology are discussed, as well as the current and
future commercial potential for each type of system.
The
course text is
Chapter 3 from a report entitled
Fuel
From the Sky: Solar Power’s Potential for Western Energy Supply
July 2002 NREL/BK-550-32160. NREL is the U.S.
Department of Energy’s premier laboratory for renewable energy & energy
efficiency research, development, and deployment.
The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of
fifteen (15) questions at the end of this course to obtain PDH credits.
Specific Knowledge or
Skill Attained
This course will review the
basic operation, limitations, capacities and design of the following solar
generating systems:
Course
Click on the following PDF attachment and review
Chapter 3 "A
Primer on Solar Generating Technologies" in
Fuel
From the Sky: Solar Power’s Potential for Western Energy Supply
published by the NREL prior to taking a quiz for credit.
A Primer on Solar Generating Technologies (276 KB)
Although the complete document
entitled
Fuel
From the Sky: Solar Power’s Potential for Western Energy Supply
July 2002 NREL/BK-550-32160
is not required to complete
the quiz, a link is provided below to download the document for reference.
http://www.energylan.sandia.gov/sunlab/PDFs/FFS_WEB.pdf
You may need Acrobat Reader to view this document.
Click on the link below to download a free copy of Acrobat Reader.
To obtain PDH credits for this course, you will need to take a quiz for
credit. Click on the link below.
(To take the quiz,
your web browser must be set to accept cookies. See how to
check your cookie settings.)
 
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