Solar Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal Technologies

Mr. Sharad Rajaram Mahajan

Solar Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal Technologies

Exploring the Conversion of Sunlight into Electricity

by Mr. Sharad Rajaram Mahajan*,

- Published in Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education, E-ISSN: 2230-7540

Volume 3, Issue No. 5, Jan 2012, Pages 0 - 0 (0)

Published by: Ignited Minds Journals

ABSTRACT

There are two basic categories oftechnologies that convert sunlight into useful forms of energy, aside frombiomass-based systems that do this in a broader sense by using photosynthesisfrom plants as an intermediate step. First, solar photovoltaic (PV) modulesconvert sunlight directly into electricity. Second, solar thermal power systemsuse focused solar radiation to produce steam, which is then used to turn aturbine producing electricity. The following provides a brief overview of thesetechnologies, along with their current commercial status.

KEYWORD

solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, technologies, convert sunlight, electricity, PV modules, solar radiation, steam, turbine, commercial status