Solar Roof
Solar (or photovoltaic), which convert sunlight into electricity, are one of the most revolutionary technologies, which found its industrial application in recent decades. Typically, these devices consist of a crystalline silicon chip, which can be used anywhere: in the handheld electronic devices and high-meteorological station at the large solar power plants in deserts and on the roofs of ordinary houses. Solar panels can generate electricity everywhere.
Since 2000, the production of solar panels in the world has increased by six times, in 2006 exceeded 17000mVt, and
continues to grow. In 2005, the total capacity of network-connected solar cells increased by 55%, amounting to 3.1 gig watts, allowing solar energy to become the fastest growing sector of energy.
Initially solar cells intended for use in orbiting satellites, and until recently were considered economically justified to use them for energy on earth. However, as a result of improved production technology, improve efficiency, and economies of scale of production and installation costs significantly reduced. Since 1976, the cost of solar panels fell on average by 5% per year.
Solar energy is already the most economical way to provide electricity in many cases - in particular, devices such as roadside telephone booth and telecommunication installations, not connected to the network. This area of application, despite its importance, is a relatively small market. However, safety, quality and reliability of energy that can provide solar energy, makes it valuable for such applications as, for example, providing emergency preparedness and emergency situations.
Thousands «sun» houses already built in the United States - mostly in the suburbs, where the excess energy is transferred into the power grid, which in turn provides electricity to the house when the sun does not shine. In Southern California builders and designers of solar energy housing is advertised as an attractive novelty. Across the country there are solar panels on the roofs of tall buildings, subway stations, and rural enterprises. Solar panels are less expensive facade materials such as granite or marble, in addition to that, unlike the latter, are able to produce energy.
Japan due to public policy incentives for almost ten years of leadership
role in the field of solar energy, despite the fact that the solar resources of this country are only half the resources of California . Currently, Japan remains the largest producer of solar cells (48% of world production), but the market has a new leader - Germany . Only during 2005 in Germany was installed 600 MW of solar power - much more than the total solar power the United States . Soon to join the leaders of Spain , the first country where the new and the buildings were restored by installing solar panels.
Growing industry has attracted a number of major companies: among the investors in solar energy, Japanese Sharp and Kyocera, the oil giants BP and Royal Dutch / Shell, as well as General Electric and DuPont in the United States.
United States are home to solar energy, and in 1996 American producers owned 44% of the world market for solar panels. By 2005 this figure dropped to 9%; market within the country also significantly reduced. But this trend may be reversed due to the policy states. California by 2017 is planned to install solar panels with total capacity of 3000 MW per million roofs of homes, businesses and public institutions.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the solar panels installed on suitable roofs and facades can provide about 55% of the total U.S. demand for electricity. Association of the solar energy industry by 2025 intends to provide half of the total electricity produced in the United States , and by 2020 to 130 thousand new jobs.
Solar panels can replace diesel generators, which employ water pumps farms, water treatment plants and other enterprises. Moreover, in the south-western United States and solar panels can produce energy on a large scale. According to the study IEA, particularly large system of solar panels installed by only 4% of the world's deserts are able to annually produce enough to sustain global demand of energy.