Solar panel
The term solar panel is best applied to a flat solar thermal collector, such as a solar hot water or air panel used to heat water, air, or otherwise collect solar thermal energy. But 'solar panel' may also refer to a photovoltaic module which is an assembly of solar cells used to generate electricity. In all cases, the panels are typically flat, and are available in various heights and widths.
An array is a group of solar-thermal panels or photovoltaic (PV) modules; the panels can be connected either in parallel or series depending upon the design objective. Solar panels typically find use in residential, commercial, institutional, and light industrial applications.
Solar-thermal panels saw widespread use in Florida and California until the 1920s when tank-type water heaters replaced them. A thriving manufacturing business soon dwindled. However, solar-thermal panels are still in production, and are common in portions of the world where energy costs, and solar energy availability, are high.
Recently there has been a surge toward large scale production of PV modules. In parts of the world with significantly high insolation levels, PV output and their economics are enhanced. PV modules are the primary component of most small-scale solar-electric power generating facilities. Larger facilities, such as solar power plants typically contain an array of reflectors (concentrators), a receiver, and a thermodynamic power cycle, and thus use solar-thermal rather than PV.
The largest solar panel in the world is under construction in the south of Portugal. A 116-megawatt facility covering a 250-hectare south-facing hillside in the southern Alentejo region and it will produce electricity for 25,000 households.[1]
Photovoltaic Panel (Module) Brands
There are hundreds of photovoltaic panel (module) brands in the world, and numbers are increasing fast due to the low entry barriers. The bare minimum a company needs to become a manufacturers is a laminating machine and some soldering irons (for a manual production line). This has lead to a particularly strong explosion in new panel manufacturers in China, although the majority of Chinese companies do not have the certification most western companies require (in April 2007, only 19 Chinese panel manufacturers held IEC, TUV or UL certification).
A 2007 global survey of photovoltaic installation companies [2] identified the best panel manufacturers to be:
No.1 - SunPower Corporation (USA)
No.2 - Schott Solar (Germany)
No.3 - SolarWorld (Germany)
The company with the best quality panels was identified as Sanyo (Japan) and the best value for money panels was from Suntech Power (China).
See also
External links
- Directory of Photovoltaic Panel Manufacturers
- Directory of Photovoltaic Panel Installation Companies
- Directory of Photovoltaic Panel Production Equipment Manufacturers
- Solar design calculators
References
- ^ Tremlett, Giles (6 May 2005). "Huge solar power station planned for Portugal". The Guardian. Retrieved 25/02/2007.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Global Brand Survey of Photovoltaic Installation Companies". ENF. Retrieved 13/04/2007.
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