Issue #8: October 22, 2024
Come along with Paul Jr.’s dad on a tour of Solar Electric Power!
This issue honors the memory of Paul Jr. on his 26th heavenly birthday (Oct. 15th). His journey into the world of solar energy began with a simple childhood curiosity. When his toy solar car didn’t work, he was determined to unravel its secrets. This spark ignited his enduring passion for renewable energy and a profound understanding of climate change. His legacy in solar energy continues to inspire.
Paul Jr. (on the right) lent a hand to the University of California, Berkeley Solar Vehicle Team, drilling a few holes to help build one of their solar cars. Image Credit: 2016 photo by Dad, Paul Sr.
What’s Inside This Issue?
- Concepts and Terminology: Discover concepts and terminology introduced in the featured article.
- Featured Article: Join Paul Dennig, Sr. as he introduces us to the fascinating world of Solar Energy.
- About the Author: Read about Paul Dennig Sr.’s journey as he pursued a career in Electrical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering.
- Hands-On Activities: Engage in a fun activity that demonstrates solar photovoltaics, a method to capture energy already made by our sun.
- Solar Energy: A Catalyst for Environmental Equity and Sustainability: Discover how solar energy can help build a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable world.
- Setting the Stage for Your Future: Explore an alternative energy pathway.
- Glossary: Recap key concepts and terminology from the featured article.
1. Concepts and Terminology
- Joule: A joule measures energy, which is the capacity to do work. It’s like measuring how far you’ve run.
- Watt: A watt measures power, which is the rate at which energy is used or produced. It’s like measuring how fast you’re running. 1 watt = 1 joule/second
- Voltage: Voltage is a measure of electrical potential, or ability to do work. It’s a bit like the pressure pushing electricity through a wire. Higher voltage means more pressure.
- Volt: A volt is the unit of measurement for voltage.
- Atom: An atom is the smallest unit of matter that still has the properties of that element. It’s made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
- Crystal: A crystal is a solid material where the atoms are arranged in a regular, repeating pattern. Think of it like a stack of neatly arranged blocks, where each block represents an atom.
Image Credit: U.S. National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL)
2. Featured Article
Paul Dennig, Sr., Ph.D.
Did you know that in just one hour, the Sun hits the Earth with more energy than the entire world uses in a year? Imagine if we could capture all that power—it would be enough to charge your phones, light up cities, and even power entire countries! We can’t today, but fortunately, solar energy technology is rapidly advancing. We’re making significant strides toward harnessing the Sun’s immense power and using it to meet our growing energy needs.
So, why should you care about solar energy? Let’s start with a view of our Earth. Our blue sky is incredibly beautiful and we love it, however, it has been playing a little trick on our eyes and minds since our humble beginnings. The sky is not infinitely thick as it looks from the ground, and so it cannot take up an unlimited amount of human-made pollutants.
The sky is, practically speaking, at most around 60 miles thick. More accurately, it starts to thin out as you go up in altitude, the pressure decreasing gradually as you ascend from sea level. At 15,000 feet (4,700 meters), which is only around half as high as Earth’s tallest mountain, you are already breathing only half the amount of oxygen you breathe at sea level, just to give you an idea of how thin our sky really is. Most of the air is gone by the time you reach 30 miles (48 km) high. In contrast, the radius of the Earth is almost 4,000 miles (6,400 km). Compare the two photos below, one taken of the sky from the bottom up and the other from the top down.
Our Blue Sky, Bottom-Up and Top-Down. From below, our blue sky gives the illusion that it goes on forever. From orbit, though, we can plainly see how thin our atmosphere really is during the daytime. It’s a very thin blue band when viewed edge-on, roughly 60 miles thick, at the boundary between Earth and the blackness of space.
Image Credits: Left: MIT and partners buy solar PV power from Summit Farms. Right: NASA — Earth from space, 2014.
Taking care of our sky – our atmosphere – is a big part of Earth stewardship. One important way we can all pitch in is to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses we put into it.
What are Solar Energy and Solar Power?
You’ve probably heard of solar energy, but what exactly is it? In simple terms, solar energy is the power we get from the Sun over a period of time.
In general, think of energy like money. You can make money and store it. Then, over time, you can move it around and spend it. Energy is like that, too. It’s often measured in something called “joules.” That’s easy enough to remember: “joules” is pronounced like “jewels” and jewels are worth money! But, instead of carrying joules in a wallet, as far as this newsletter goes, we’ll know that the energy is going to be carried by our friends, electrons. Aren’t they just amazing? Not only do they hold solids together like glue, but they can also get up and carry energy around.
One part of that description, the moving of money over time or “money in motion,” is a very good description of power, too. Power is just energy in motion, usually described as energy passing by a point in some unit of time, like this: joules per second. Did you know that quantity, [joules/sec], is the same thing as a watt?
We may have gotten our inspiration for solar power from the leaves of trees and plants, which capture sunlight’s energy and convert it to usable energy over time. Solar electric power may seem “sleepy,” meaning there are usually no visible moving parts! However, the story behind it could not be more incredible.
So, should you call it solar energy or solar power? Either will do and it’s up to you. If the electricity you make will run some appliance, it is more appropriate to say “power.”
How do we convert sunlight into usable energy? There are many ways, but the most popular way to make electricity is all about special devices called solar panels. You may have seen solar panels on the rooftops of houses. By generating their own electricity, homeowners can reduce their reliance on the grid and potentially lower their energy bills. You may also have seen solar panels over the parking lot of your school or a local library.
(Left) Solar panels on the rooftop of a house. (Right) Solar panels over a parking lot.
Solar panels are also showing up in cool gadgets that you may use. For example, solar-powered phone chargers can be used to charge your phone or other devices while you’re outdoors. Solar-powered calculators have been around for a while and can be used indoors under lights as well as in any sunny location. And don’t forget about solar-powered watches! These gadgets are a fun and eco-friendly way to harness the power of the Sun.
As these five applications demonstrate, solar technology is becoming increasingly accessible and seamlessly integrated into everyday life.
Solar panels are becoming more widespread as people recognize their effectiveness in producing clean, renewable energy. Solar is so incredibly useful, that big solar farms are being installed around the world. For example, Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan, India, is said to cover over 14,000 acres and is estimated to be built from over 10 million solar panels!
And here’s the best part: solar energy is renewable, which means we’ll never run out of it. As long as the Sun keeps shining, we’ll always have a source of power! Except at night, that is, and more and more people are developing ways to either store the day’s energy, or combine solar with a different source of energy during the night, so that our needs are met the whole day.
What are solar panels made of? Solar panels consist of a number of interconnected units called photovoltaic (PV) cells. The kind of panels on homes usually have 60 cells. The panels in more demanding situations may have 72 or more. These cells are designed to capture sunlight and convert it into electricity. The word “photovoltaic” combines “photo” (meaning “light”) and “voltaic” (meaning “electricity”).
There are a couple of reasons that the “cell” is the basic building block for a “panel.” The first is that smaller cells are a lot easier to make than one big one. The second is that the cells can be connected together electrically to be more useful to us. Making those kinds of connections gives us a “higher output voltage.” We don’t need to get into the how or why now, just know that a panel has roughly 30 volts output, where ‘output’ means the end product ‘available to use.’ Panels can then be connected together to do even more! In the end, some electronic boxes will be added to do the final conversions and conditioning to get the electricity just right to power our homes, classrooms, and offices, and more.
PV cells can be made from different materials, but silicon is the most popular due to its cost-effectiveness and plentiful supply. It is the second-most abundant element in the Earth’s upper crust (that’s the layer of the Earth closest to us), after oxygen. You’ve likely seen silicon in everyday items like sand and glass. But here’s the amazing part: scientists and engineers can create special silicon crystals, then do a little more work to make solar cells from them.
The work they do is to make two thin adjoining layers in slices of the crystals, each layer a little different from the other. Not quite as easy, but it’s like baking a cake! Right at the heart of each cell where the two main layers join is something called an electric field, which magically makes a solar cell work! These folks are great at what they do and can make millions of cells, all with nearly the same properties.
Imagine a crystal with its own tiny battery! But, it is only ready to go when you put it under light. The top crystal layer, the one facing the sun, is thin enough for sunlight to enter it. Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of all matter, including the solid solar cell. The outermost electrons in atoms, sometimes called valence electrons, normally hold the solid together. When light carries the right energy to knock one of those outermost electrons loose, then that free electron is still inside the solid, now just whizzing around with a little more energy than before. If it gets near that field inside at the junction between the n-type and p-type silicon, it gets strongly swept by the electric field towards the negative terminal of the solar cell. The electrons can gather together a little bit at the terminal, or as we say, get collected, but if they have a closed loop, usually called a ‘circuit,’ to run through outside the cell, then they make an electric current in the circuit, similar to the current that powers your phone or laptop. So, an electric current is a collection of electrons, flowing along through semiconductors and metal wires, just like a river, each electron juiced with energy, ready to give it somewhere else where the energy can do work.
Today, roughly 95% of the world’s solar PV power comes from silicon-based cells. These cells come in two main types: polycrystalline and monocrystalline.
- Polycrystalline cells are made up of many small silicon crystals joined together nearly seamlessly within a single cell rather than a single, continuous crystal.
- Monocrystalline cells are made from a single, large, continuous crystal of silicon. They are generally more efficient at converting sunlight into electricity but are also more expensive to produce.
(Left) Polycrystalline silicon solar cell: The indigo-blue colors come from the differently-oriented crystals inside. (Right) Monocrystalline silicon solar cell: It appears uniformly black because of two reasons: (i) it’s a single crystal, and (ii) its surface has been processed to absorb as much light as possible, therefore, to reflect as little as possible.
Image Credit: SOLARQUOTES
The narrow white lines on the top side of each solar cell are metal strips, which collect the electricity generated by the cell. A typical cell today is 6 inches (150 mm) per side or larger.
To get the electric field built into the cell, the cell makers adjust the amounts of additional atoms in the silicon crystal. They do that in layers, like a baker putting the layers of a cake together. Cell makers optimize the electrical conductivity of the layers. To do that, solar cells undergo a process called doping. Doping involves intentionally putting impurities, known as dopants, into the silicon, and the resulting doped silicon is called a semiconductor. It doesn’t take many dopant atoms, just a little will do. Imagine replacing something like one in every 10,000 silicon atoms! Semiconductors are not great electrical conductors, as metals will generally always be considered the best electrical conductors, but semiconductors can make special things happen.
When a semiconductor is doped with impurities that have more valence electrons (recall that valence electrons hold the solid together), it becomes n-type. The letter “n” stands for “negative,” referring to the excess of negatively-charged electrons. Conversely, when a semiconductor is doped with impurities that have fewer valence electrons, it becomes p-type. This creates places where an electron seems to be missing, also called “holes” in the crystal structure. These holes can act as positive charge carriers.
N-type silicon is represented on the left side and P-type silicon is represented on the right. Silicon atoms are shown in a kind of cream-silver color, and in the pure state, each silicon atom is bonded to four neighbors.
Image Credit: Paul Dennig Sr.
One impurity atom is shown in each type to illustrate the impurity atom’s chemical bonding. Shown in orange on the left, a phosphorus atom not only bonds with four neighbors like a silicon atom would, but it has one more bond left over (see it sticking out, pointing here to the upper right). That extra bond is in fact an electron, which, if released (say, if it is hit by a photon of sunlight), could roam about the crystal if it has sufficient energy.
Shown in blue on the right, a boron atom can bond with only 3 neighboring silicon atoms. This creates vacancies, or “holes,” in the crystal structure. Boron atoms can “accept” an extra electron to complete the typical bonding arrangement. For this reason, they are often called “acceptors.” These holes can act as positive charge carriers.
When the p-type and n-type materials are put against each other, a p-n junction is formed. That’s the heart of a solar cell! This is where the magic takes place. The junction is made by making the silicon very hot in a furnace and exposing it to special chemicals. The physics of what happens when the cell is cooled down and the charges in the n-type and p-type layers are allowed to run around and settle down and make the electric field is really interesting, but is best left to describe another time.
For now, know that the field exists between the n-type and p-type layers, and that if a photon of light knocks loose a valence electron near the field, the field will sweep the free conduction electrons out to the cell’s top metal electrical contact. The electrons will carry their energy to whatever we wish to power.
A panel must be weatherproof, so the outer layer is typically covered by a protective layer of glass with an anti-reflective coating. This coating helps to minimize light reflection and maximize the amount of sunlight that can be absorbed by the solar cell. Some cell designs also make the cell top surface anti-reflective. Within a panel, electrodes are attached to the two terminals of each solar cell. Those two terminals connect to the top and bottom surfaces of a cell to collect the generated electricity.
The energy carried by the current can do work for us, especially if we assemble solar cells together to form solar panels to boost the total power output. The panels can be grouped together to build solar arrays, and arrays may be arranged into solar farms, as shown below.
Image Credit: MIT
The Future of Solar Energy
In 2023, less than 5% of the world’s total electricity production came from solar PV. That’s less than from natural gas, coal, and hydropower. However, the amount of solar PV keeps growing. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Lab produces a Solar Industry Report many times a year, and last reported that the global price of modules is approaching U.S.$ 0.10/W of DC power, or in short, 10 cents per watt (installation will add to this), which means that solar is very cost competitive with coal and other technologies.
The construction materials of PV cells could change to bring down costs by being more efficient and durable. Besides silicon, other materials like Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) and perovskites could help us achieve that goal. In the U.S., CdTe panels make up about 20% of installations today, but only about 4% globally. Perovskites, a group of crystalline solids, are anticipated theoretically to do well, and some show promise in the lab, but more R&D needs to be done to make them last longer under the sun and moisture.
What we have not discussed here (because we want to focus on cells and panels) is the use of solar trackers and concentrators to follow the sun and to gather the most sunlight in the most economical fashion. The latter technologies are one step above cells and panels in complexity. They are thoroughly fascinating and hold much promise and are best saved for another article. Even more complex is something called Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Towers, which are running, but are considered highly experimental.
(Left) Paul Jr. showing the solar PV concentrator inventions he made in 6th grade for battery charging. Image Credit: Los Altos Town Crier newspaper. (Right) Paul Jr. testing the trackers he designed in 7th grade.
Are There Potential Drawbacks to Solar PV Technology?
First, let’s discuss the duration of solar PV panels and recycling them at their end of life.
To offset the carbon normally generated by burning fossil fuels, any alternative energy equipment should last for some reasonable time, and it should be recyclable. How long should it last? In other words, what duration are we expecting? Some round numbers are 25 years minimum for solar panels, and more than 10 years for battery energy storage. If these products wear that long or longer and can be recycled at end-of-life, then the total carbon released into the air to make them and run them will amount to less than that coming from coal and gas power plants to produce the equivalent amount of power.
How can we recycle solar panels? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has very good information on how to recycle solar installations. Generally, a solar installation is taken apart, with the inverters getting recycled with other electronic waste. The physical panel support structures, also called “racking,” would get recycled with other scrap metal materials. This leaves the panels, which must go to a center that can use various physical and chemical methods to disassemble the panel layers, sometimes resorting to crushing/grinding/ and other extreme methods, so that the different metal and semiconductor elements may be separated and collected.
showing the purified silicon wafers and new PERC solar cells made from completely recycled materials
Image Credit: Fraunhofer ISE
Today, the EPA reports that while portions of these kinds of recycling efforts are being done, there is not yet a unified wide-scale operation running to do the whole set of operations. That’s a bit sad, as we do not want to just throw these things into landfills, and we do not want any toxic chemicals leaching into our ground. There are no laws requiring their recycling today in the U.S. Only about 10% of the panels are recycled here, even though the value of materials is quite high, on the order of many $100M’s or perhaps higher every year. Perhaps panel recycling is a good opportunity for enterprising young people!
What are some common misunderstandings about solar PV? One notion is that they cause a lot of extra waste heat. Well, actually, solar cells are put between the sun and the Earth, so they catch sunlight that would ordinarily go into heating up the planet! To be most accurate, though, we need to account for the sunlight coming in, the light reflected back into space, and the remainder: the light absorbed by the cell. In the cell, we need to consider if the absorbed light is converted into electricity, heat, or both.
Also, would the light that was absorbed by the cell normally have been reflected back into space? It turns out that the installation of solar panels does interrupt the normal reflection of light back into space that would occur had the panels not been there.
Some heat is developed, first by direct heat absorption (light in the infrared region of sunlight), the second source stemming from visible and UV light absorption, and the third source stemming from something called Joule heating, simply because of electrical resistances in any of the materials in the solar installation transforming electrical power into heat as current flows. These are all hard to avoid, but they apparently do not lead to huge heating problems at the site of solar installations. A bigger issue would be accelerated aging or degradation of the panel materials, due to the heat. The UV sunlight and heat could also cause the efficiency of cells to decrease more rapidly, seemingly more common the higher the initial efficiency was. But, once again, there is not a waste heat issue similar to that from natural gas, coal, or nuclear energy.
3. About the Author
Hi there! My name is Paul Dennig Sr. I grew up near Philadelphia, home to Benjamin Franklin and many other famous people who have contributed to the science of electricity. I have worked in many fields, starting in my dad’s machine shop drilling holes and filing and sanding metal. His mom, my grandma, introduced me to minerals. I’ve always had a fascination with rocketry and airplanes since a little boy and have been very fond of our Earth. I’ve worked at NASA in a couple of areas, including crystal growth experiments to fly in space. Other work includes power electronics and energy storage for things like solar PV and vehicle charging. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from M.I.T. and my Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University, plus I did a post-doctoral fellowship in Japan. I enjoy making things with my hands, photography, gardening, learning to play musical instruments, walking and playing with our dogs, skiing, and working out. Among many aspects of my son’s life, I’ve really enjoyed watching him learn about solar PV and other technologies to help fellow Earthlings.
4. Hands-on Activities
Dazzling Diamonds in Disguise
Ever wondered what the inside of a silicon crystal looks like? It plays a key role in solar energy! This website lets you explore the crystal structure of silicon. The website contains a crystal viewer, so you can go to that site, and scroll down a bit until you see the image of crystalline silicon we show here:
Then, grab the crystal somewhere inside the image at that site with your mouse and rotate it (left click and move). You can also zoom in and out as you would in other applications (left click and scroll wheel, for example). The colors of the atoms and the bonds between are chosen automatically at first.
If you’d like, you can experiment even more by right-clicking on the figure to reveal a comprehensive menu. We’ve taken advantage of the program to: recolor the atoms and bonds and background, change the crystal orientation, and adjust the zoom, so that we can peer down large hexagonally-shaped channels in the crystal:
Moreover, if you’re adventurous, you can go to the original Jmol/JSmol site to check out getting your own copy of the visualization tool.
Fun Fact: both silicon and the gemstone diamond share the same crystal structure, called “diamond cubic.” The main difference is that diamond has carbon atoms in place of silicon.
Finding the Sun’s Sweet Spot
Remember our previous experiment with light meters? Let’s use that knowledge to understand solar panels! Download a light meter app on your phone. This app can help us find the best spots and angles for placing solar panels.
Safety First! Never look directly at the sun. Consider wearing sunglasses while doing this activity.
Let’s Experiment! Point your phone (like a mini solar panel!) at the sun and see how the light intensity changes. The strongest reading should come when the sun is highest in the sky, a time called “solar noon,” and your phone faces directly towards it. The tipping or inclination of the phone up off your table towards the sun should come when the angle your phone makes with the horizontal is roughly equal to your latitude. So, if you live in San Jose, for example, the latitude is 37°, so you should tilt your phone so that the angle it makes with the horizontal ground is also 37°.
Now, try tilting your phone at different angles – what happens?
By understanding how sunlight intensity changes with position, we can see why solar designers need to consider the angle of a roof and the location’s latitude when installing solar panels.
Now you can begin to realize some of the many challenges a solar designer has: “Solar noon’ in the northern hemisphere would face exactly south (“due south”) on any given day. Therefore, since most residential solar arrays are fixed and cannot be adjusted, the designer has to figure out which part of the roof or roof sections best face due south, then determine how to incline the panels to roughly the same angle as that location’s latitude. This is where tracking systems would have an advantage – they’d keep turning the solar device so that it’s aiming right at the sun all day, so that it can collect and convert the maximum amount of sunlight to electricity.
5. Solar Energy: A Catalyst for Environmental Equity and Sustainabilit
Solar Energy: A Catalyst for Environmental Equity and Sustainability
Solar energy has the potential to play a significant role in addressing environmental equity and sustainability. Here’s how:
Environmental Equity
Affordable Access: Solar energy can help bridge the energy gap by providing affordable electricity to low-income communities and underserved areas. This can improve quality of life and reduce disparities in energy access.
For example, the Solar Initiative for Rural Communities in the United States provides grants and technical assistance to help rural communities develop solar energy projects. The program has helped to bring affordable electricity to thousands of homes and businesses in rural areas.
Community Solar: Community solar projects allow individuals to invest in solar energy even if they don’t own their own homes. This can provide opportunities for those who might not otherwise have access to solar energy.
For instance, the Brooklyn Solar Cooperative in Brooklyn, New York, allows individuals to invest in a shared solar array. Members receive credits on their electricity bills based on the energy that the array produces.
Image Credit: Here Comes Solar: “838 Park Place HDFC Co-op”
Job Creation: The growth of the solar energy industry can create jobs in installation, maintenance, and other related fields, providing economic opportunities for communities that may have been disproportionately affected by environmental issues.
To illustrate this point, the Solar Energy Industries Association estimates that the solar industry will create more than 1 million jobs in the United States by 2030. These jobs will include installation technicians, engineers, and sales representatives.
Sustainability
- Renewable Resource: Solar energy is a renewable resource, meaning it can be replenished naturally, unlike finite fossil fuels. This transition to solar power contributes to a more sustainable energy future. Solar panels harness the sun’s energy, a renewable resource that is constantly replenished, ensuring a sustainable and reliable source of electricity compared to the limited supply of fossil fuels.
- Reduced Pollution: Solar energy is a cleaner alternative to traditional energy sources, as it produces neither greenhouse gas emissions nor air pollutants while it is operating. Unlike fossil fuel power plants that release harmful substances into the atmosphere, solar energy systems offer a pollution-free solution. This makes solar energy a healthier option for both the environment and human health. Imagine if the cells and panels can be made using renewable energy – then it’s a no-brainer!
- Resilience: Solar energy, as a decentralized and reliable source of electricity, can bolster community resilience to climate change. For instance, during natural disasters or power outages, solar energy systems can continue to provide essential power to homes and businesses, mitigating the impact of disruptions in the energy grid. This is especially crucial in regions susceptible to extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, wildfires, or earthquakes.
By addressing environmental equity and sustainability, solar energy can contribute to a more just and equitable future for all.
6. Setting the Stage for Your Future: An Alternative
Energy Pathway
The sun is shining on the future of clean energy! The renewable energy sector, especially solar power, is booming, creating a wave of exciting career opportunities. If you’re passionate about engineering, environmental science, or just making a difference, this field might be the perfect path for you.
Here’s a glimpse into the exciting world of solar energy careers:
- Solar Panel Installation and Maintenance: Become a technician or installer, building and maintaining solar systems. Imagine yourself designing layouts, installing panels, and ensuring everything runs smoothly.
- Solar Energy Engineering: Be at the forefront of innovation as a solar engineer. Develop new technologies, improve efficiency, and optimize system design to create the next generation of solar power.
- Renewable Energy Policy and Analysis: Analyze energy policies, conduct economic studies, and assess the environmental impact of renewable energy projects. Your work will shape a sustainable future for our planet.
- Research and Development: Join the cutting edge as a scientist or researcher. Develop new solar materials, improve cell efficiency, and reduce costs – your work will push the boundaries of solar energy.
These are just a few of the many exciting career paths available. As the world transitions to a more sustainable future, the demand for solar energy professionals will continue to skyrocket. By choosing this field, you’ll contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable planet while enjoying fulfilling and rewarding work.
Building Your Network:
Get up close and personal with solar energy! Look for organizations in your area like Grid Alternatives that offer opportunities to observe solar installations in progress.
College Majors to Consider:
- Physics
- Electrical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Applied Physics
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering
Potential Career Paths:
The solar industry offers diverse opportunities beyond core engineering. You could be a solar industry employee specializing in design, installation, business, or engineering. You could be a solar researcher, delve into the solar PV value chain (including recycling), or explore other clean energy and sustainability fields.
The future of clean energy is bright, and so is your potential career path. Start exploring today!
7. Glossary
- Atom: An atom is the smallest unit of matter that still has the properties of that element. It’s made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
- Crystal: A crystal is a solid material where the atoms are arranged in a regular, repeating pattern. Think of it like a stack of neatly arranged blocks, where each block represents an atom.
- Joule: A joule measures energy, which is the capacity to do work. It’s like measuring how far you’ve run.
- Renewable energy: This is energy that comes from natural sources that can be replenished over time. Examples include solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, geothermal energy, and biomass.
- Solar cells: These are the individual units within a solar panel that convert sunlight into electricity. They are typically made of materials like silicon.
- Solar energy: This is the energy that comes from the sun. It’s a type of renewable energy that can be harnessed to generate electricity or heat.
- Solar panels: These are large flat surfaces covered with many smaller units called solar cells. They are used to capture sunlight and convert it into electricity.
- Solar power: This refers to the use of solar energy to generate electricity.
- Volt: A volt is the unit of measurement for voltage.
- Voltage: Voltage is a measure of electrical potential, or ability to do work. It’s a bit like the pressure pushing electricity through a wire. Higher voltage means more pressure.
- Watt: A watt measures power, which is the rate at which energy is used or produced. It’s like measuring how fast you’re running.
We value your input! Have questions about this issue or want to know more about our foundation?
Feel free to reach out. We’re keen to hear your thoughts and feedback. Your voice truly matters to us!
We hope you have enjoyed this issue of our newsletter.
We look forward to preparing our next issue on a different topic.
Subscribe to the Newsletter!