Solar Insolation Data [RE-wrenches]

[Carl Emerson]

Hullo again...

I thought this might be of interest to the group...


THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON PV PANELS    (STN1/218/2)

CONTRARY to popular opinion, Great Britain's weather is suited
to solar power, according to researchers at the University of Oxford.

In an independent test of the leading types of solar photovoltaic
(PV) panels, they are finding what types of solar panels work best in
what is often a cloudy and varied climate.

Solar PVs are one of the most promising techniques for producing "green
electricity'' to offset carbon-dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.
Unlike other sources of renewable energy, such as wind or wave power,
they are suitable for the urban environment and their modular design
means they can be installed almost anywhere.

There is a lack of knowledge of relative performance of solar
panels in real-world conditions. Manufacturers rate panel performance
in the laboratory, not in natural sunshine.

The Environmental Change Institute (ECI) is the University of
Oxford's multi-disciplinary centre for the organisation and promotion
of research and teaching on the environment. It has received top-up
funding from the BOC Foundation to enhance and extend a project to
evaluate leading PV-technologies. The researchers are studying the
performance of 11 leading commercial PV technologies on a roof in
Oxfordshire, with an identical set-up in Mallorca, Spain.

Dr Kevin Lane, who is leading the project, said: "It is a commonplace
myth that photovoltaics are not suitable for the UK climate. In truth,
they have the potential to make a significant contribution to
reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Proof of the UK government's
belief in this rapidly expanding market is its recent 100 million
pounds sterling commitment to renewable technologies.''

The ECI project is assessing what are the better technologies for the
UK's light levels; various PV technologies have different
efficiencies depending on the light conditions.

The 11 solar-arrays being tested cover the range of panel types that
photo-chemically turn sunlight into electricity. Photovoltaics are
made out of semiconducting materials, such as silicon. When a photon
of light strikes the photovoltaic module, its energy is transferred
to an electron. When the electron flows around an electric circuit,
it releases electrical energy to power lights and household
appliances.

Sunlight on cloudy days has a different spectral composition to
direct sunlight, being richer in the shorter blue wavelengths.
Knowing what technologies have the best response to this bluer light
is a central question to UK solar power.

The PV Compare project helps to direct the efforts of material
scientists and manufacturers. This work will provide valuable
information for solar retailers and customers, aiding the development
of a mass market for "green'' solar panels.

The BOC Foundation was launched by the BOC Group in 1990 to support
practical demonstrations of means of reducing pollution in the UK. To
date it has awarded more than 90 grants with a total value exceeding
three million pounds sterling, with emphasis on water quality, air
quality, waste management, and the treatment of contaminated land.

More information:
Dr Kevin Lane, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford,
Wellington Square, Oxford, United Kingdom, OX1 2JD. Telephone: +44
186 528 1180. E-mail: kevin.lane at eci.ox.ac.uk


Regards,


Carl Emerson
Manager
FREEPOWER LTD.  "Harnessing Natural Energy"
P.O. Box 10-1207 N.S.M.C. Auckland, NEW ZEALAND.
Ph. 09 4275206 fax 09 4275208  cell 021-633999  web www.freepower.co.nz


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