Cost Effectively Increasing the Electrical Output of Solar Panels

Author: Tim Floyd

NCSU Environmental Technology and Management; Adviser: Terrie Litzenberger

Acknowledgements: I would like to thank NCSU Faculty including Terrie Litzenberger for being open to afford me the opportunity to do this project. I would also like to thank the Forestry and Environmental Resources for providing the funding necessary to conduct this research project.

Introduction

Addressing the Issues

Materials

Methods and Phases of Testing Results

Conclusions

Carbon emissions from energy production are harming Earth at an alarming rate. Solar power has the potential to replace carbon based fuels as the largest producer of energy, but it faces two essential problems in gaining acceptance. These problems are cost effective ness and becoming more efficient in converting sunlight to energy. Science has proven that the sun provides Earth with enough energy in a single day to power human needs for an entire year!. Due to this fact ,it seems self evident that it is time to invest more time and research into improving solar technology so the switch can be made from fossil fuels. This research project aims to address the efficiency problem of flat solar panel systems face using cost effective methods. In doing so , this project will show improving solar technology is not financially out of reach and that the potential of solar technology has yet to be tapped.

• Carbon based fuel emissions are harming the planet in a variety of ways and energy production is the largest producer of carbon emissions.

• Evidence of climate change correlates with carbon emissions and the effects are widespread;

• Drought • Rising ocean levels • Higher average temperatures

• Solar energy and other renewables can provide carbon emission free energy.

• The two main arguments against the transition to solar are that solar panels are too expensive and that solar panels are not efficient enough.

• Research on combatting these issues is happening everyday and as research continues;

• Panel efficiency will increase • Production and retail cost will

drop • Solar energy will be able to

take more responsibility for energy production.

College of Natural Resources Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources

39%

5%

22%

17%

11% 7%

Coal*

Oil*

Gas*

Hydroelectric

Nuclear

Others

Worldwide Energy Production by Source

*Asterisk denotes high carbon emission content

Figure 1: Energy Production Sources

Figure 2: Temperature Relating to CO2 Levels

• Sunnytech 5v Mini Solar Panel • Fresnel Lens Full Page Magnifier • Craftsman Digital Multimeter • Nordic gel Ice pack • Mirrors • Hardware: Wood, screws, tools, etc.

Image 1: Satellite Image of Earth

Analyzing Data

• Each of the three methods showed an increase in voltage. Combining these methods could produce an even larger increase in voltage.

Testing Combination

Methods

Final Product and Realizations

Testing Individual Methods

4.6

4.8

5

5.2

5.4

5.6

5.8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10V

olt

s P

rod

uce

d

Test Day

Voltage While Cooling

Control SolarPanel

Cooled SolarPanel

4.6

4.8

5

5.2

5.4

5.6

5.8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Vo

lts

Pro

du

ced

Test Day

Voltage When Magnifying

Control SolarPanel

Solar PanelWith aFresnel Lens

4.6

4.8

5

5.2

5.4

5.6

5.8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Vo

lts

Pro

du

ced

Test Day

Voltage When Using Mirrors

Control SolarPanel

Solar Panel withOne Mirror

Solar Panel withThree Mirrors

• When using the methods together the solar panels were stressed and overheated, thus requiring the gel ice pack.

• The gel ice pack helped but the panels individually maxed out at approximately 5.75 volts when using a mirror and a fresnel lens.

• Surface Area is an important cost factor in large scale solar fields; therefore, two panels have been placed back to back.

• Mirrors are arranged to allow the backwards facing panel to produce maximum energy. The mirrors were mounted on an adjustable frame.

• A fresnel lens and a mirror are used on the front facing panel to produce maximum energy.

• A gel ice pack helps cool the solar panels and allows them to work efficiently.

8

8.5

9

9.5

10

10.5

11

11.5

12

12.5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Vo

lts

Pro

du

ced

Test Day

Voltage Using The Final Solar Array Versus a Control

Control (2 Panels)

Final Solar Array (2 Panels)

• Mirror Array

• Final Solar Array with the control panels

• Rearview

• A more efficient method of solar energy production was constructed as a result of the experiment and research.

• On days with strong or average sunlight the system was able to yield an increase of approximately 11%.

• Perhaps more significant was that days with weak sunlight collected approximately 14% more energy than the control panels

• Solar power has been powering Earth’s cycles for millions of years and it will likely do so for the foreseeable future. If solar energy practices improve enough then it can reduce the use of carbon based fuels leading to significantly less carbon emissions from the energy industry.

• This research shows that there is still room for improvement and this can be accomplished by using the simplest of technology. By using inexpensive materials like mirrors and fresnel lens’ the electrical output of a flat panel solar energy system could be increased by at least 11%.

• By utilizing the method of back to back solar panels, surface area could be reduced and a savings on land use both economical and acreage could be realized.

• By utilizing the same combination of methods used in the final array system, you can increase the amount of energy you collect through solar power on cloudy days or times of low sunlight.

• Thinking on a large scale: • A solar farm that produces 150 Megawatts of

energy implements the same methods from this experiment. The solar farm immediately produces a minimum of 15 additional Megawatts which it can now distribute. These improvements could easily be made to a solar field like the one pictured to the right.

• Image 2: Nellis Solar Power Plant

Benefits: • Sustainable • Inexpensive improvements that provide more

energy, in turn saving money • Decrease the required surface area of typical solar

operations • Pollution / carbon emission free

• Looking Forward: The availability of resources limited some of the design and implementation of the techniques to increase solar production in this research. Future grants and funding sources will allow for refining and improving methods. • Ideal Solar Array: Cooling system: Copper tubing in between the back to back solar panels which holds water. This water would flow between the panels and cool them down while being heated into a source of steam energy. Magnification and reflection of sunlight would be done by an automated dish which moves with the suns position.

Sources • Figure 1:The Shift Project Data Portal • Figure 2: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration • Image 1: National Public Radio; Joe Palca • Image 2:Nellis Solar Power Plant

• Magnification and reflection • Cooling and reflection

• Image 3: Potential back to back design.