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DNA testing?
electronic device that converts light into electrical energy. Some misconceptions also arisen
about solar panels such as on its efficiency in cold places and the real development of the solar
cell technology.
This research paper also includes a step by step process of how a solar cell functions. It
explains the intricate process of how a semiconductor produces electricity from light, the
connection of solar cells to produce higher electricity through a solar panel, and the charging of
battery for further use until the consumption of electricity by the DC and AC loads is done.
The advantages of having a solar panel both for the owner and community, the edge of a
solar electricity generation from the conventional electricity generation, the benefits of
renewable sources of energy from non-renewable sources of electricity, and our planet's gain in
Finally, there is a brief discussion about the school building's saving that a school can
have when utilizing the power of the sun which deals with the practicality of having a solar
panel in a school building and the parameters needed in order to make it possible.
Research topic:
Can solar power help reduce the electricity bills of a school building?
Thesis statement:
Solar power can help in reducing our schools electricity bills while protecting our
1. The history of utilizing the power of the sun from the 7th century when they use sun in
making fire ants burning ants to the development of the silicon photovoltaic cell at bell labs are
briefly discussed.
2. This is the definition of a solar panel as an electronic device that converts light into
2.1 These are the common misconceptions about a solar or photovoltaic cell.
2.1.1 A photovoltaic or solar cell needs direct sunlight in order for it to work
properly.
2.2 A photovoltaic or solar cell is an electronic device that converts light into
electrical energy.
3. The process of how a photovoltaic or solar cell works has been fully understood by
scientists.
3.3 The DC produced by the solar cell is converted into AC by an inverter while
some are used by some DC powered appliances and some are stored in batteries.
3.4 The AC produced by the inverter is used by the common appliances that are
powered by AC.
4.1 With the rising Meralco bills, a school can save money by using photovoltaic
cells.
4.2 With the advancement of technology, photovoltaic cells are becoming more
5. These are the schools that use photovoltaic cells as their source of electricity; therefore
5.1 The Ma Wan school in Hong Kong is currently using photovoltaic cells in
5.2 The East Los Angeles College is planning on installing photovoltaic cells in their
building.
5.3 National University must look for ways on how it can make the utilization of
7.2 If we use photovoltaic cells, we will be helping the researchers of the solar panel
7.3 Our utilization of photovoltaic cells will promote renewable sources of energy.
7.4 Photovoltaic system is a good way to save money and save our planet but one
would have to consider many factors lke an available space for the solar panels,
Introduction
The sun is the closest star we have to our dear planet and as we all know, it is one of the
major factors that resulted in the creation of life here on earth. The light that it radiates keeps all
the organisms alive including plants, animals, men, and insects. Even the tiniest
But, as our technology progresses, we have learned that our precious star can give more
than just life. The light that our star provides, when harnessed properly, can be used to give men
The heat that the precious sun provides can be very useful. In cold countries, people use
sunlight for providing heat in their houses and even warming their swimming pools. Some
people also use sunlight in heating their water and cooking certain foods. Industrial facilities
such as desalination plants rely on the heat collected from the sun in producing fresh water and
The electricity that the sun provides can be very useful especially in places which power
grid lines cannot reach. Luxury boats, tankers, military, and passenger boats rely on solar
energy in powering their navigation equipments and other electrical devices. Homeowners who
installed solar panels in their own homes, whether partially or entirely, claimed to have had a
large amount of savings in their electric bills.(Solar Energy: Advantages and Limitations, 2009)
This research paper provides information on how solar power can help reduce the
electricity bills of a school building, such as our National University main building, and how it
can make our world a better place to live in. The objective of this research is to show the
positive side of an alternative power source, such as the photovoltaic cell, and to encourage
people to utilize this technology because it will help save our beloved planet from destruction.
This research paper is a descriptive one and the methodology that I used in making this is
library and internet research. This research paper tackles the definition, history, and the process
Body
In the beginning, people benefited from the sun not only as a source of light but also a
source of comfort through the different technologies they had in their era that utilized the
sunlight. As early as the 7th century BC, people used the sun in making fire and burning ants
through the use of a magnifying glass. In the 3rd century, the Romans, and in 20 AD, the
Chinese used burning mirrors in lighting their torches and for religious purposes. In the 2 nd
century BC, 212 BC to be exact, the Greek scientist, Archimedes, used the reflective properties
of bronze shields to focus sunlight and to set fire to wooden ships from the Roman Empire
which were besieging Syracuse (Although no proof of such a feat exists, the Greek navy
recreated the experiment in 1973 and successfully set fire to a wooden boat at a distance of 50
meters. However in 'Myth busters', a show in discovery channel that authenticates myths by
trying them out, they concluded that the theory of burning a ship using bronze shield is
implausible). In 1767, a Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure was credited with building the
world’s first solar collector, which was later used by Sir John Herschel to cook food during his
South Africa expedition in the 1830s. In 1829, a French scientist Edmond Becquerel discovered
the photovoltaic effect while experimenting with an electrolytic cell made up of two metal
generation increased when exposed to light. Finally in 1954, Photovoltaic technology was born
in the United States when Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson developed the
silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell at Bell Labs. It was the first solar cell capable of converting
enough of the sun’s energy into power to run everyday electrical equipment. Bell Telephone
Laboratories produced a silicon solar cell with 4% efficiency and later achieved 11% efficiency.
We can see solar cells almost everywhere now, in the calculators that we use, in some
solar powered watches , solar cellphone chargers, solar bike lights, camping lanterns, and some
other electronic gadgets that we use in our day to day lives. There is also a concept in the last
twenty years, called “Solar Revolution.” The idea is that people will never pay for their
electricity bills because we will just harness the energy coming from the sun and convert it to
electricity for our daily use. Given that the popularity of solar technology is on the rise, it is just
fit that we learn what a solar cell truly is and how it works.
Let us first clear some misconceptions about a photovoltaic cell. First is that a solar
cell is only effective in hot countries(countries near the equator) and that it is useless in
the countries at the northern and southern latitudes. Some people also believe that a solar
cell is less efficient during the winter days because there is less sunlight. But, contrary to
what people believe, a solar cell does not need a direct sunlight or heat from the sun to
function properly. In fact, Germany, a country in the far northern latitude where there is
less sunlight, is one of the biggest consumers of solar panels.(Larry West, accessed on
February 16, 2007) Even the night lights can make a photovoltaic cell generate electricity,
Another misconception about a solar cell is that because of the newness of this
technology, it is not mature enough to be utilized today. Solar cell, as a matter of fact, is a
matured technology. Some of the commonly used electronic gadgets today even adopt the
photovoltaic system in their products. The only issue is the low efficiency of photovoltaic cells
(About Solar Technology, accessed on February 16, 20010). But if we look through our history,
photovoltaic cell efficiency was 6% in the 1950's, 24% by 2000, then rising to 26% in 2002 and
30% 2007 (Dave Dugdale, 2010). This shows us that efficiency has greatly improved and is still
improving at such a high pace. Now that we have cleared some misconceptions about a solar
A solar cell is an electronic device that has the ability to turn light, usually sunlight into
electrical or heat energy. There are actually two kinds of solar cells according to their functions.
The first one is the photovoltaic cell. “Photo” means light and “Voltaic” means electricity. Thus,
as the word implies, it converts light into electricity. The second one is the solar heater; these
solar panels are used to convert light into heat. They provide hot water in homes that is why it
is also called solar water heating panels. They also heat swimming pools and other facilities.
(Solar water heating, accessed on February 16, 2010) But my thesis is concerned with
photovoltaic cells so this research paper will be focusing more on photovoltaic cells.
Now that we have learned what a photovoltaic cell is, let us see its composition and how
it functions. The solar cell is composed of six layers. When light hits the solar panel, the first
layer that it passes through is the glass cover; the function of this cover is to protect the
photovoltaic cell from elements such as wind, rain or snow. The second layer that the light
passes through is the anti-reflective coating; this coating is used to increase the efficiency of the
cell because it traps the light and lessens the its ability to bounce off or reflect. This is an
important function because it lets the panel absorb more light in order for the photovoltaic cell
to produce more electricity. Next is the contact grid. This grid is made up of highly conductive
metal because it acts as a bridge for the electrons to travel faster. Then, we have the N-type and
P-type silicon. These are pure silicons with impurities which are added through the process of
doping. N-type silicon are doped with phosphorus and P-type silicon are doped with boron. The
silicon's function is to act like a diode which lets the electrons pass through only one direction.
The last layer is the back contact. This connects the photovoltaic cell to the charge controller
and inverter.
After the photovoltaic cell has received sunlight, the current that it has produced goes
through a charge controller. This controls the amount of current that is stored in the battery to
prolong its lifespan. It also gives an individual an opportunity to use electricity even if there is
no sunlight available.
The photovoltaic cell only produces DC while the commonly used appliances in homes are
powered by AC. Some solar cells have built-in inverters to reduce the need for large inverters
After the DC has been converted into AC, it can now be used by the ordinary appliances
we have in our houses. But some of the DC are not converted into AC because there are some
The reader might be wondering, this technology is great but what benefit will it produce
if the photovoltaic cell technology will be utilized in our school?. The answer is very simple, it
that we have today, comes the higher inflation in our country which will result in higher prices
of our everyday necessities, including the electric bills. In addition, there is the value added tax
that the government mandates our power companies with their every sale and which they let the
consumers shoulder. Our school would be better off if an alternative power source would be
Moreover, the companies of the photovoltaic cells are currently researching on how to
maximize the efficiency of their products while minimizing their cost. A lot of institutions such
as research industries and universities. are also looking for ways to improve the photovoltaic
cells. A good example of this is the thin film photovoltaic cells. The idea is to create a thinner
photovoltaic to reduce the production cost. (Bryan Walsh, 2008) Another example is the spray
on photovoltaic cell. Here the cost of expensive covering is reduced while giving the
photovoltaic cell less reflective capacity to absorb more sunlight, thus, increasing efficiency.
One may wonder if a solar powered school is really feasible. Or has anyone done it yet?
The answer is yes, it has been done in some schools internationally. In the Ma Wan school in
Hong Kong, “the roofs have been pumping kilowatts since 2004 and also acting as a sunshade,
creating shadow and comfort on the top floor and over the atria”. This project was “developed
as a prototype to 'understand local solar energy resources, promote school PV installations and
determine the value to HK of wide-scale applications'”. (Lloyd Alter, April 20, 2007) Just like
the Ma Wan school in Hong Kong, the East Los Angeles College in the United States has
installed the photovoltaic system in its roofing system with the help of Energy Conversion
Devices Inc., a company that “manufactures, sells and installs thin-film solar laminates that
convert sunlight to energy using proprietary technology”. Mark Morelli, CEO of Energy
Conversion Devices Inc. said in an interview that this project has provided them with a unique
opportunity of helping East Los Angeles College save money and prepare for a greener future.
(Energy conversion devices to install solar roofing system at East Los Angeles College,
November 9, 2009)
With all these exemplars of schools that utilize the photovoltaic technology in their
school building, the National University officials must look for ways on how they can re-create
these occurrences of photovoltaic panels in school buildings for building a greener future while
saving money from their electricity bills. But they also have to consider the practicality of
having one. A typical photovoltaic panel generates about 70 milliwatts per square inch, and if
the sun shines 5 hours per day, it generates 350 milliwatt-hour per day. If we use the data given
by the UST, they consumed an average of 195,652.6 kW-hr last 2007 in their main building.
(Campus power bills rise, June 30, 2008) They consume 6,521.75 kW-hr per day, this means
that you a building has to have a place of 12,027.8 square meters for photovoltaic cells. If we
consider the standard cost of solar panels which is $ 16,000 every 26 square meters, at 44 pesos
per one dollar, that 12,000 square meters of photovoltaic cells would cost 325.7 million pesos.
If we use the UST data,at 4.9303 pesos per kilowatt-hr, they consume 11.5 million pesos per
year in their main building.(Myrna Velasco, Febuary 5, 2010) This means that it would take 28
years for a school building to compensate for the photovoltaic cells cost if a building is to buy
them.
There are different factors in considering what type of electricity generator is most
efficient. The cost efficiency, environmental friendliness, dependability, and the practicality of
When it comes to the cost efficiency of the device, photovoltaic power is the best
choice. Even though photovoltaic cells cost more than the conventional electricity generators,
1) it does not need fuel to operate; 2) it does not need to be checked by a professional every six
months to determine if there are parts that need changing; 3)it does not have moving parts that
might malfunction ; 4) it does not need constant maintenance; and 5) it does not need changing
of oil and filters every now and then. Solar panels also operate using sunlight, which is free. It
may require some installation after a consumer buys it but the hassle stops there. The only
thing that needs to be maintained in a photovoltaic cell is the clearness of the glass which
receives the light. When it comes to environmental friendliness, solar panels beat conventional
electricity generators. Solar panels do not produce harmful gasses and high concentrated toxins
that pollute the environment. Plus the energy produced in photovoltaic cells is a renewable
energy, unlike most diesel powered electricity generators that produce non-renewable
electricity. When it comes to the dependability, conventional electricity generators beat solar
panels. Power generators do not rely on sunlight to function, therefore, they can operate in
places and in times when there is no light. It only needs fuel in order to function which makes it
more dependable than photovoltaic cells. When it comes to practicality, however, solar panels
beat conventional electricity generators. Solar panels are less costly in the long run. They do not
need fuel that may spread harmful gases in the environment, and even if photovoltaic cells
depend on sunlight in order to operate, they can still produce electricity even with a small
amount of sunlight. A very good example of this is Germany which is introduced in the
The purpose of this study is to lessen the electricity bill of a school building. But a
photovoltaic cell has a lot more to offer, one of which is its less reliance on non-renewable
source of electricity.
There are many kinds of sources of energy that we have nowadays, but a lot of these
sources create more problems in the long run by contributing to the global warming,
endangering people's lives and creating the greenhouse effect. One of these sources of energy is
the fossil fuel energy. Even though burning fuel in order to generate electricity costs less than
other forms of energy, burning fossil fuel creates much residue in the air that contributes to the
destruction of environment and in turn, global warming. Another form of energy is the nuclear
energy. It is when plutonium and uranium, known radioactive materials, are broken down and
the energy released from this process is known as nuclear energy. But using this kind of energy
brings serious threats to the environment, especially to the people living near the nuclear power
plant because a single mistake can result in radioactive contamination in the area. In the midst
of all these dangers that threaten our planet to destruction comes the solar energy, one of the
most environmental friendly sources of electricity that we have. Solar energy is safer because it
does not require the burning of fuels which produces harmful gases. It certainly does not
endanger the people around it for radioactive poisoning because it does not contain radioactive
material and it does not create any form of residue that might pose as a threat in the
Our planet will not be the only one that will benefit if photovoltaic technology is to be
utilized in a in a school building. The photovoltaic industries will also benefit because the
utilization of photovoltaic cells in a school building will give ample data that they need I
improving their technology. Besides, the universities can also contribute in improving the
Plus, if a school building will utilize the photovoltaic technology in their building, they
will promote the employment of renewable source of electricity so that other institutions may
replicate what they did in their building. Building a better market for photovoltaic cells in our
country is therefore, maximizing the demand and minimizing the cost of photovoltaic cells. The
employment of photovoltaic cells here in our country will also contribute to the reliance of
In conclusion, I think a school building would benefit greatly if they were to have a
photovoltaic system in powering the school, but they have to take into consideration the
important parameters that they need to have. First, they should have a place of, at least 12,000
square meters. Then, they have to invest about 325.7 million pesos in photovoltaic cells. This
amount may be big but it will be paid in 28 years of usage because they would not have to pay
for any electric bill then. This project will not only save our money in electric bills but this will
help greatly in reducing the harm that the conventional power generators deliver in our planet.
Bibliography
Agaton,Andrewly A.; Alfonso, Luigi E. and Tiu, Reniel B. Campus power bills rise. (June 30,
2008) http://www.varsitarian.net/
Alter, Lloyd. (April 20, 2007) Solar powered school in Hong Kong.
http://www.treehugger.com/
Dugdale, Dave. How has solar efficiency changed over the years. http://www.solardave.com/
(accessed on February 16, 2010)
Energy conversion devices to install solar roofing system at East Los Angeles College,
(November 9, 2009). http://www.bizjournals.com
Walsh, Bryan. (June 12, 2008) Solar power's new style. http://www.time.com/
Velasco, Myrna. (Febuary 5, 2010) Meralco ups generation fee P1/kWh in Feb.
http://www.mb.com.ph/