What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy is sustainable resources which are replenished naturally. These resources are not only endless, but also carbon neutral, andtherefore often referred to as “clean energy” or “green energy “. The endless, clean and green energy flows from sources like sunlight, wind, tides, waves, and geothermal heat.
why is renewable energy important?
Renewable energy can play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
By utilizing renewable resources, the use of fossil fuels can be reduced. Fossil fuels have played a dominant role in global energy systems, but at the moment an exciting paradigm shift is taking place world-wide.
We are witnessing a remarkable conversion of energy systems, from fossil fuels to systems powered by renewable energy.
Renewable energy could hold the key to combatting the climate change.
What are the benefits of renewable energy?
- Cleaner energy than fossil fuels
- Renewable energy will not run out
- Diversifying energy supply systems
- Independence of imported fuels
- Creating economic development
Solar energy explained
The sun is an enormous powerful energy source, and even though we are not able to utilize all of it, we have learned how to harness some of its energy through solar panels. Solar power is a renewable source of electricity and heat that is derived from the sun.
The simplified explanation of how we harness this energy source is that crystalline wafer diodes in the solar panel are able to transform the light energy from the sun into electrical energy. Exactly the opposite that LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) do.
Solar power can be converted to usable energy using either PV (PhotoVoltaic) modules or PV/T (Photovoltaic/Thermal) modules or RACELL PV/TE Triple Energy modules. Racell produces both PV, PVT and PVTE modules. For more explanation, you can take a look at the table below.
| Solar PV module | Solar Thermal module | Solar Triple Energy module |
|---|---|---|
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The electricity from the PV module is produced by many Si (silicon) crystalline wafers in the module. Typically, a PV module has more than 60 wafers. Each wafer is a PV cell and has a positive and a negative area in the surface. When light reaches the electrons inside the Si wafer, they can get free. These negative electrons start moving and try to reach the positive surface of the wafer. If the electrons manage to reach the surface, they can produce the electrical energy. With more sunlight we get more free electrons and more electricity from the PV module. |
The solar thermal module has a flat plate that gets warm when the sun shines on it. The plate has pipes with liquid that collect the heat and transfer this thermal energy so it can be used as heat and hot water in buildings. If the plate is well insulated it can collect much more heat and get extremely hot. Without insulation the plate loses much of the heat to the air and wind around it.
The solar thermal plate can also have PV cells on the top. When the sun shines, the cells produce electricity, and the plate produces thermal heat. This type of module is called PV/Thermal or PVT module
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RACELL has developed a new type of module. This is a game changer module that can generate energy also in the dark. It works 24/7 day and night with or without sunlight. It can operate like the PVT module, but due to a very efficient energy absorber, it can utilize energy from the air, the rain, from ice and snow. It can also produce cooling energy in the summer and heat energy in the cold winter night. We call it Triple Energy, because you get more than three to five times the energy than from a standard module. We also call this super module, PVT-E or PVTE.
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How solar energy can make a difference?
Solar energy has a wide range of advantages for our planet. This is especially concerning the environment, as it is a clean, renewable energy resource with the potential to play an important part in the global energy future.
It aids in the process of reducing greenhouse gasses and increasing air quality. Solar energy reduces our dependence on fossil fuels and enables everybody to be a part of the solution, as the energy from the sun can be collected and channeled into homes and businesses in cost-efficient ways of producing electricity, heat and cooling energy.