Advantages And Disadvantages Of Solar Cell: In today’s world, demand for energy is quite high in industrial and domestic sectors. Since non-renewable energy sources are being used up rapidly, there is a necessity to use renewable energy sources to the maximum extent possible. With the help of modern technology, it becomes possible to utilize various natural resources like sunlight, wind, water, etc., and convert their energy to other forms of energy that are being used.
Conversion of solar energy to electrical energy is done with the help of solar cells. Sunlight consists of photons that can be converted into electric energy through the photovoltaic effect in solar cells. Solar cells are arranged in arrays or panels which can function as a central power station converting sunlight into electrical energy that can be used for industrial, commercial, and residential purposes. Solar cell panels are best used to provide electricity in areas where conventional power generation is either not possible or quite expensive.
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What are Solar Cells? Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Cell 2022
The solar cells are used to convert the energy of sunlight into electricity. A solar cell consists of two layers of silicon that are oppositely charged as positive and negative and help to generate electricity flow when exposed to sunlight. The electricity produced by a solar cell depends on various parameters of sunlight such as wavelength, intensity, and angle of incidence. It also depends on the surface area and temperature of solar cells. Apart from industrial use, solar cells in smaller configurations can be installed in residential rooftops to generate electricity and replace the conventional power supply with solar power.
- Advantages of Solar Cells
- Disadvantages of Solar Cells
- Comparison Table for Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Cell
- FAQ’s on Advantages And Disadvantages Of Solar Cell
Advantages of Solar Cells
- Reduce the cost of energy bills: The greatest advantage of solar cells is that they will reduce the cost of electricity. Power generation through the sun means less consumption of power from the grid and thus a reduction in electricity bills for businesses and households. Producing electricity at home doesn’t require spending more money on buying energy from conventional sources.
- Renewable source of energy: Solar power is a renewable source of energy that cannot be exhausted on use. The power from the sun can be harvested by solar cells to produce energy which also reduces the use of non-renewable energy sources like fossil fuels etc. that are getting depleted quickly due to massive use. Solar energy is renewable means that solar energy conversion can be done on a larger scale.
- Environmentally friendly: Energy produced by solar panels is clean as it has no adverse impact on environments with zero emissions. Solar energy does not release harmful gases or requires the burning of fossil fuels like oils and coals.
- Low maintenance costs: The maintenance of solar panels is becoming easier and more cost-effective due to wider uses and technological advancements. Companies are giving warranties on products for longer periods making the maintenance cost of solar panels less.
- Independent energy: The installation of solar panels in home and small office areas allow the users to be completely energy independent. The energy produced using solar cells can provide power to homes and offices without any need to depend on other sources of electricity. There will be no power disruption due to an electric supply fault.
- Wide range of solar products: There is the availability of a good range of different solar panel products starting from budget products for homeowners to high-end products that can perform for a long time. Also, different products compatible with solar power have also arrived in the market for domestic and industrial use.
- Supplying excess energy: The energy produced in excess that is not used up completely in-home can be supplied to the localities or to the government. This allows your community to have cleaner energy supplied to their home by using energy from the sun. The government also offers some incentives to encourage more use of solar power.
- Cost-effective: Solar energy is considered the cheapest form of energy production. Solar cells are becoming more affordable as there is high competition towards making solar panels cost-effective while maintaining high quality. Solar cells will have huge demand in the future as the cheapest form of clean and renewable energy generation device.
Disadvantages of Solar Cells
- High installation cost: The initial investment for solar panel installation is very high.
- Requires large space: Solar panels are fairly large in size so they require a large space to be installed. The size limitation implies that they cannot be placed in small areas.
- Requires sunny weather: The biggest disadvantage of solar cells is that energy can only be produced if there is sufficient sunlight reaching the panel. The solar cells will not be able to generate electricity if there is not enough sunlight as on rainy days. Similarly, energy can be produced only in day time but not at night.
- Mass production is not environment friendly: The mass manufacturing of solar panels requires the burning of fossil fuels and the generation of plastic waste. This is one of the disadvantages of solar panels as they are not eco-friendly in mass production.
- Low energy conversion rate: The limitation of solar cells is that they can convert only about 25% of the solar energy to electrical power. There is a huge opportunity to utilize the energy so more technological developments are required to optimize solar energy to a better extent.
- Difficult to dismantle: Solar cells once installed at a place are difficult to dismantle in order to be fixed at any other place. It needs extra cost and labor to have your system removed and transported to another location.
Comparison Table for Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Cell
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Solar cells use renewable energy source that is inexhaustible | Solar cells cannot be used in absence of the light |
| It does not generate any emissions or radiations so environment friendly | It incurs a very high initial cost for installation |
| It does not require fuels or water to produce electricity and helps in the conservation of non-renewable energy sources | Very large area is needed in order to install solar panels or cells. |
| Solar cells are durable and can be used for a longer period. | Solar cells are difficult to dismantle in case of shifting to another place. |
| There is no power disruption due to power cut or grid failure. | The power generation may vary with intensity of light so less power is produced during rainy days. |
| Solar cells are easy to use and require less maintenance. | Mass production of solar cells is not environmentally friendly and produces waste. |
FAQ’s on Advantages And Disadvantages Of Solar Cell
Question 1.
Why are solar cells becoming popular?
Answer:
Solar cells are designed to receive sunlight and generate electric power which is being used extensively in various applications as a substitute for conventional electric power. It is a renewable source of producing energy with also affordable costs and reduces the use of fossil fuels for the generation of electricity.
Question 2.
What is the biggest limitation of solar cells?
Answer:
The biggest limitation of solar cells is that they can perform only in presence of sufficient sunlight.
Question 3.
How can solar cells be used at home?
Answer:
Solar cells can be installed in rooftops and the electricity thus generated can then be used to power the electrical appliances in the home.