Solar Energy

Arvind Sharma
Pin Valley
Sun
● Sphere of hot gases
● Diameter: 1.39x10^6 km
● Distance from earth=1.5x10^9 km
● Rotation period ~ 28 days (Speed of rotation faster at equator and slower at
poles)
● (As the sun is not a solid body it is a hot rotating plasma)
● Energy : With the help of fusion reactions, mainly hydrogen combining to form
helium.

The energy of order of 26.3 MeV is released in this equation

The energy produced reaches earth in form of radiation.

Energy radiated by a black body (Idealised material which absorbs whole energy)
is given by Stefan-Boltzmann law.

𝝈 = Stephens boltzmann constant

k= boltzman constant

No body is idealized black body so energy emitted:

ϵ= emissivity=Thermal radiation from a surface / thermal radiation by a black body

T=Effective black body surface temperature sun (5577 K - 5303 ℃)

Earth
Earth’s Albedo: earth reflects 1/3rd of sunlight falling on it.

Albedo-Degree of reflectance of light.

Length of days and night vary on earth because:

It is aligned on its axis at 23.5 degrees.

Solar Energy an Introduction
Some of the energy released by sun (having temp. 5500℃) falls on earth.

The solar irradiance received just outside the atmosphere is equal to 1353 W/m2.

This gets attenuated by the atmosphere to different levels, so the maximum solar
irradiance which reach the earth’s surface is about 1000 w/m2 (at sea level).
This solar irradiance have two components:

1. Direct beam radiation (from sun)

2. Diffused beam radiation (deflected version from sky(atm.))

Variation in solar irradiance is caused due to :

Seasonal and latitudinal variations.

Therefore the average solar energy reaching earth’s surface may vary from
0.55 kwh/m2/day to 5.55 kwh/m2/day.
Solar energy conversion
● Two ways:
○ Solar thermal ( to produce heat for heating water, crops etc.)
○ Solar photovoltaics ( to produce Electrical Power)
● Solar energy also forms basis of other renewable sources i.e.:
○ Wind
○ Ocean thermal
○ Biomass
○ Ocean wave
○ Geothermal
○ Ocean tide
○ Organic chemicals
○ Fossil fuels
Advantages

a. Abundantly available
b. Reusable
c. Eco friendly
d. Can work remotely and as a standalone with good results.

Disadvantages:

a. High initial cost and large areas required.

b. Not available at night (Limited sunshine hours)
c. Need of storage system
Applications
Solar cooling.

Solar heating.

Solar pumping.

Electrical Power generation.

 Advancements (Why it is
becoming popular)

Source: Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_I
ndia#/media/File:Price_history_of_silicon_PV
_cells_since_1977.svg
Solar PV Efficiency
Portion of energy that can be converted into electricity.

For eg. 20% efficiency means the PV panel produced 200 W of energy if its area
over which it is spreading is 1m2
Commercially available efficiencies are around 14 to 22%
Elon Musk
Elon Musk ted talk

https://youtu.be/zIwLWfaAg-8?t=1337

Li ion:

https://youtu.be/zIwLWfaAg-8?t=1603

Quora

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-unique-features-of-Tesla-car-batteries#targetText=Well%2C%20before%20Tesla%20
pushed%20for,were%20deploying%20Lead%2DAcid%20battery.&targetText=They%20have%20higher%20Charging%20C
ycles,than%2090%25%20of%20their%20efficiency.
Source Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_po
wer_by_country#/media/File:Global_
Map_of_Photovoltaic_Power_Potenti
al.png
Solar Potential India

Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_In
dia#/media/File:India_GHI_mid-size-map_156x194m
m-300dpi_v20170925.png
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_of_photovoltaics#cite_note-iea-pvps-
snapshot-1992-2017-29
Solar Energy
Production compared
with other sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India
https://en.wikipedia.o
rg/wiki/Solar_power_
in_India
History
https://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/pdfs/solar_timeline.pdf#targetText=1954%20P
hotovoltaic%20technology%20is%20born,to%20run%20everyday%20electrical%2
0equipment.
Tariff
Solar
https://www.livemint.com/Industry/CC7LKHscZyknUpuDi2GcjL/India-all-set-to-introduce-cap-on-solar-power-tariffs.html

Coal(NTPC)
https://www.livemint.com/market/mark-to-market/ntpc-demand-new-challenge-for-india-s-top-power-producer-1561307707222.html
Solar Radiation
Solar irradiance:

Instantaneous measurement of solar power at any area.

Units - W/m^2

Solar insolation

It is the cumulative measurement of solar energy over a particular area for

particular length of time

Units - kWh/m^2
Types of Solar Radiation:

Extraterrestrial:

Solar radiation which would have reached earth if no atmosphere was present

Terrestrial:

The radiation actually received on earth. Approx. 70% of the Extraterrestrial.

Power density Vs
wavelength curve
Air mass
It is the length of atmosphere the radiations has to cover to reach earth surface at
any particular position of sun in respect to zenith, as normalised in reference to the
length travelled when sun is directly overhead.

Air mass at zenith angle = 1

Solar Constant (Isc)
It is the solar power received per unit area perpendicular to sun rays at distance
1.5x10^8 km, outside the earth’s atmosphere.

value=1353 W/m^2 = 1353*3600/1000 = 4870.8 kj/m^2 hour.

Value remains constant throughout the year (average)

Value changes with seasons.

Io = Isc [1 + 0.033 cos (360N/365)] where Isc solar constant. =1.37 kW/m2

N=no. of the day in the year counting 1st january as day 1.

Clarity Index:
= radiation received on horizontal earth’s surface
Radiation received outside the earth’s atmosphere in direction perpendicular to the
beam

Clarity index ~ 0.1 -0.7

Concentration Ratio:

=Solar power per unit area of concentration surface

Power per unit area on line focus at a point
Solar Radiation Geometry
Why : to know the position of sun at different times.

Are helpful in constructing buildings accordingly to maximum utilize solar

potential.
Cont.
Earth moves around sun in slightly elliptical orbit.

Earth’s axis tilted at 23.5 deg.

Angle between the earth’s equatorial plane and earth’s sun line varies

+23.5 deg on June 22 (Northern Solstice)(longest day in northern hemisphere)

0 deg on march 21st and Sept 22nd (Equinox dates)

-23.5 deg on Dec 22 (southern Solstice) (longest day in southern hemisphere)

Which side are solar panels installed to face in India.
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-solar-panels-face-south
Latitude angle (ɸ):

Angle subtended by the line joining

center of the earth to the projection of
the line on the equator plane
(equatorial Plane)

+ve towards northern hemisphere.

-ve towards southern hemisphere.

Declination angle (ẟ):

Angle made by line joining the

center of sun and earth to its
projection on equatorial plane.

Maximum Value= +23.5 deg

Minimum Value= -23.5 deg

Calculated from approx. equation

of cooper.

n= Day of the year.

Hour Angle (⍵):

Local Meridian
(https://www.localmeridian.com/2015/05/what-is-the-local-merid
ian/)

Meridian - midday

Local meridian is an imaginary line

which runs from north to south over
your head through zenith(when sun is
vertically above)
Hour angle:

Angle with which earth must be rotated to bring it in line with the local meridian.

15 Deg per hour (measure from noon based upon local solar time (LST)or local
apparent time)

+ve in mornings

-ve in afternoon.

For eg. (⍵)=15 deg for 11:00 am and (⍵)=-37.5 deg for 14:30 pm.

(⍵)=15(12 - LST)
Altitude angle 𝞪:

Angle of sun in reference to

earth’s horizon.

Zero at sunset and sunrise.

90 Deg at noon

Measured upwards from the horizon.

Zenith is the point when sun is directly

overhead.
Azimuth Angle 𝜷/𝛄:

Solar Azimuth Angle (𝛄s):

Angle measured from north to horizontal

projection of sun’s rays.

Like a compass direction with North = 0

Deg and south = 180 deg.

Angle +ve measured westwise.

Surface Azimuth angle (𝛄):

Angle between local meridian

and projection of normal to the
tilted plane on horizontal
surface
Zenith Angle:

Vertical angle between sun’s rays and

plane perpendicular to the earth’s
surface.
Incident Angle:

Angle measured between beam

of rays and normal to the plane