Xref: utzoo sci.energy:3592 sci.electronics:16367 sci.physics:16001 Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!caen!jameson.engin.umich.edu!ssave From: ssave@caen.engin.umich.edu (Shailendra Anant Save) Newsgroups: sci.energy,sci.electronics,sci.physics Subject: solar cells Keywords: solar power types efficiency. Message-ID: <1990Dec17.190857.16559@engin.umich.edu> Date: 17 Dec 90 19:08:57 GMT Sender: news@engin.umich.edu (CAEN Netnews) Followup-To: poster Organization: The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Lines: 41 I am intrigued by solar methods of generating power. What I would like to know, is what is keeping this method from becoming the cleanest power generating method available? 0> How does a solar cell work? How do they work in arrays? Are they high current/low voltage sources or vice-versa? 1> How good is the regulation of a cell over a variable load? Meaning, if there was no regulation circuitry after the cell output, what will happen? 2> What are these cells made of? How is this different from the photo-voltaic effect? Is it any different? 2a>Do these cells work on light energy? Or is it heat? Infra red? 3> Typically, what is the efficiency of such a cell? 4> Where can I get a solar array? What are the different prices that I would expect to pay? 5> Is any company active in this research? What kind of results are they having? I'd appreciate anyone helping me to find the answer to these questions and more. It all started when I read that all that is required is that about 2% of the energy incident on the earth (from the sun) is sufficient to meet all human power needs for the next century. How realistic is this? We do have a lot of sun in the Sahara, you know..... --Shailendra -- Physical: Shailendra Save, Logical: ssave@caen.engin.umich.edu 2303 Conger Baits II, UUCP: ...!umix!caen.engin.umich.edu!ssave Ann Arbor. MI 48109. Audible: 313-763-1627(H) 313-764-8033(O) ICBM: 42 33'W 83 71'N Fax: 313-747-1781 Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines. (For those who don't know, a weasel is a wolverine)