About Solar Power

Solar power cells convert sunlight into electricity, using the energy of speeding photons to create an electrical current within a solar panel.  Photons are created in the center of the sun by the fusion of atoms. It takes a photon about a million years to work its way to the surface of the sun, but once free it is hurled through space so fast that it reaches earth in just eight minutes - after traveling 93 million miles. This tremendous energy from the sun is abundant, and has been powering the earth for billions of years - feeding plants, redistributing and refreshing water supplies and ultimately creating other forms of energy (such as fossil fuels) that largely power our civilization today.  Over the past several decades, scientists have been learning to harness this ancient energy source with more efficiency to do the work of non-renewable fuels - without pollution, noise or radiation, and not subject to economic whims that drive costs higher each year.

An interesting side note: Photons are also called quanta. They are literally "packets" of sunlight". Albert Einstein got his Nobel Prize for his study of quantum mechanics.

Solar power panels are made from specially treated semiconductor materials, composed mostly of silicon atoms. The panels - also called photovoltaic modules - are constructed with two sheets of silicon manufactured to take advantage of the photons bombarding the earth. One sheet, called the N-layer, is constructed of silicon atoms that have "extra" electrons wandering freely within the layer. The other sheet, called the P-layer, has "missing" electrons, or "holes" that attract free electrons. The two layers are separated by an electrical field, created by the interaction of atoms from both sides. When a photon of sunlight strikes an atom in either layer, it knocks loose an electron. In the P-layer, these free electrons easily cross through the electrical field and into the N-layer. But this movement of electrons is one-way; N-layer electrons aren't able to cross the electrical field into the P-layer. As a result, an excess of free electrons build up in the N-layer. A metal wire attached to the N-layer gives the excess electrons somewhere to go. This circuit ultimately leads back to the P-layer, depositing free electrons where they can begin the process again. Before returning to the P-layer, the electrons are used to power electrical appliances in homes, offices, schools and factories. The movement of electrons with energy is called an electric current. As long as the sun is shining, the electrical current in a solar-electric system continues.

The type of current produced by a solar panel is called direct current (DC). Before it can be used to power a home or office, it is converted to alternating current (AC) by an electronic inverter. The inverter is used to change DC power to utility grade AC power. The quality of the power from a sine wave inverter can exceed the quality of power coming from the utility. Our inverters are generally supplied with an additional circuit, called "maximum power point tracking," or MPPT for short. This optimizes the way that the inverter processes the energy form the PV panels so that your system can give you power even on cloudy days.  Energy demand is called a load. In a standalone photovoltaic system, electricity in excess of the load can be stored in batteries for later use. A grid-tied solar power system, on the other hand, runs in tandem with power from the utility company. The excess solar power from a grid-tie system is fed into utility lines, appearing as a credit on your electric bill. A shortfall in solar power is made up with utility-company power. You get billed for only the difference between what you use from the power company and what solar energy you generate. This is called "net metering." When you select net metering billing for a year's period of time, your power company will credit your bill for all the excess power you are able to generate in the summer so that you can use up that credit in the winter months.

3 Technology and Social Interaction

Text Messages.

I have begun to question the impact of cell phones and more specifically text messaging for many reasons.  Some people fear that we will all become a society of people who spend all day looking at a screen instead of speaking to each other.  I think this may be a real concern because it may be making our society even lazier than it already is.  Unfortunately, most text messages limit you to 160 characters per message, and if you want to get the most detail out in the least amount of words you shorten some of the words.  However, over the past couple of years these short cuts have gone a little too far.  I personally believe that people who cannot afford to send several text messages use more shortcuts and in some cases this leads to an increase in spelling mistakes.  I feel as though these abbreviations may save time and money however they also bring about some negative effect such communication has on real conversations and developing the bonds that come with it. I believe tone and facial expressions are also a necessary way of communicating and that sometimes and an element of honesty is lost when one can merely send a text message. However, in an age where communication is virtually instant no wonder text messaging is so popular.  While convenience stands out as a key factor for sending text messages it is important to realize if people have the time to balance their needs they will be able to participate in some other form of communication.  

Now even older less technologically friendly generations are willing to learn how to use text messages. In my own family, I couldn’t help but feel like my parents felt some sort of disconnect because of their lack of knowledge on how to text.  I noticed my parents were jealous of the conversations I had with my sister and realized I was in a sense causing conflict in our family.  However upon this realization I taught my parents how to text message and now when I do not have time to call my parents I am able to communicate via text message. 

As a sociology major I have recently learned that people experience social change when they can meet at a defined “space” and have meaningful conversations about their everyday struggles.  From a sociological perspective, society needs a “space” for which every member can interact and discuss meaningful political and social issues.   I have learned through several Sociology classes that social change occurs when people can perceive their private problems as public issues (sociological imagination).  For example, I have learned that poor women factory workers who work in the maquiladoras were finally able to unionize once they were able to talk about their problems in church on Sundays.  In this example, the “space” I am talking about is the church that acts as a meeting place for people to come together and talk about their problems.  As more and more people are choose to text each other instead of taking the time to meet, I am becoming more and more concerned that these “spaces” are becoming less and less prevalent in society.