Misconceptions about Solar Energy

How important is energy in our life, we are using energy from the morning to evening, every time energy is used and the need of energy is increasing every day and because we have to import energy, energy security is also there. here is also a discussion about sustainable development and energy access. These all are the different boundary conditions of energy that are constant. 

Why not we all use solar energy? And it's normal that everyone wants to use solar energy. But we also know, even after so many promotions, after so many policies solar energy is limited in use or common people not use solar energy. So what is the reason? It has many misconceptions due to which solar energy is not used by the masses. This is the misconception that lasted 10-15 years ago but due to advancements in technology, this is no longer true, but it is still in the mind of people. So in this series, I will explain all the misconceptions one by one and try to clear all the misconceptions.

So, Let’s start the first misconception For the promotion of solar energy, it is important to enhance the efficiency of solar energy or the efficiency of solar photovoltaic technology. Do you think like that, I think a lot of people think like that but if we look in detail, then we find that this is not true. To compare we need a to have a comparison point. For example, let’s compare it with a natural process which is the photosynthesis process. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants produce their own food ‘carbohydrate’ by using solar energy.

You will be surprised to know that the efficiency of many plants is not more than 0.5-0.1% Some of the plants are fast-growing plants that can use as an energy crop for producing biomass having 4-5% efficiency. So when we compare this efficiency to solar modules which are commercially available, having 15,16,17,18%, there is no problem of efficiency. Let’s compare it with the efficiency of a coal power plant, nuclear or hydropower plant, so when we talk about efficiency, the efficiency in between the input and the electricity output of coal it is important to know what’s the efficiency in between the whole process. 

We all know that coal is not present in every country, many countries import coal India also import coal and in India 70% of electricity is generated from coal. And the first to import the coal is coming from mines then transport to the power plant by ship or rail where it is burned, having an efficiency of 30-35% runs the turbine and generator and producing the high voltage which transfers to the large transmission lines of transformer where it is step down then transmitted and again it is step down and at last with the help of distribution transformer it is sent to the homes. The whole process involves 8-10% efficiency, as I already told the solar modules which are commercially available having efficiencies of 15, 16, 17, 18 %, in fact, there are solar modules which are a little bit costly but their efficiencies are nearly 20-22% . At the laboratory level, scientists make the more efficient solar modules which are single-junction silicon solar cells having efficiency of 25-26%, they made thin-film silicon cell, gallium arsenide based solar cell and also multi-junction solar cells, having efficiencies of 45-46% and also demonstrated it. 

So I would like to conclude that we do not use solar energy because of its high efficiency, it is used because all the resources have low efficiency in comparison to solar cells. So if you do not use solar energy because of efficiency, firstly you have to change your mindset and use solar energy. Scientists are trying to make it more efficient and make advancements for increasing its efficiency. But do not think that we should wait for efficiencies to increase. There is a change in climatic conditions, increasing energy demand and dependency on other countries for energy. Seeing all these conditions and the increased efficiency of solar modules, I feel we can should start using solar energy immediately.