Читать книгу Step-by-Step Design of Large-Scale Photovoltaic Power Plants - Houshang Karimi - Страница 14

The source of solar energy is the sun. Solar energy can be classified as heat which is generated by electromagnetic waves, and light which is produced by photons. Solar energy is the main source of most of the other forms of energy available on the Earth. The solar energy is directly or indirectly converted into other forms of energy, e.g. electrical energy produced through photovoltaic (PV) technologies.

The most important feature of solar energy is that it is clean and does not harm the environment. In the long run, PV power plants will make a significant contribution to the supply of primary energy in all sectors including domestic, commercial, industrial, and transportation consumers. Moreover, factors such as government support, price of fossil fuels, cost of gas emissions CO₂, and costs of PV plant equipment affect the growth of PV plant installation capacity [1].

Figure 1.1 shows the energy conversion cycle. It shows that fossil fuels and the renewable energy sources such as biomass, wind and solar energy originate from the sun. The solar energy is stored in chemical bonds through photosynthesis of plants and produces fossil fuels millions of years later.

This book provides an overview of all aspects of designing a large‐scale PV power plant (LS‐PVPP) for the solar energy professionals and the university researchers. The book particularly focuses on the design of all equipment of a large‐scale PV plant from the basic to advanced parts.