Solar Energy is not a Solution to the American Energy Crisis Essay

Solar Energy is not a Solution to Americas Energy CrisisWith the growing cost of fuel for cars and the rolling blackouts of last summer, the need for an alternative, cost-effective, environment friendly faculty source is escalating. Many possible solutions have been presented, such as thermonuclear power, wind power, and hydrogen fuel cells prevalent among these is solar power.Solar cells directly convert photons from the sun into electricity (Wikipedia). Solar cells that convert both solar and non-solar light source are called photovoltaic cells (Wikipedia 2006). They are made of semi conducting materials, most often silicon (Aldous 2006). The simplest photovoltaic cells power watches and calculators while larger, more complex systems can sum up to the power grid and provide power for homes.How Solar Power WorksMost solar cells are made of crystalline silicon. Pure silicon has 14 electrons that form 3 different tiers around the individual atom. In the last tier there are only 4 electrons, but as separately tier desires 5 electrons there is one missing from this tier. To fill the last spot the electrons will join together to share their electrons. This linking is what forms the crystalline structure, which is vital for photovoltaic cells. (Aldous 2006)Solar Energy 3Pure silicon is not a good conductor for electricity because it has no free electrons, so we add impurities to the silicon. The make for of adding impurities is called doping. Phosphorus is an impurity that can be added into the silicon used for solar cells. This type of impure silicon is called N-type and is much better as a conductor than pure silicon. This is because phosphorus has five electrons in its final tier so every atom of phosphorus has one electron not shared with ... ...sidered as a viable alternative energy source at the present, nonetheless if, with further research, efficiency continues to increase and the cost to produce solar panels continues to decrease, solar energy could be a major contributor to power in the early.Solar Energy 7ReferencesAldous, S. How Stuff Works. How Solar Cells Work.Retrieved August 3, 2006 from http//www.howstuffworks.com/solar- cell.htmCarlstrom, P. (2005, July 11). The Chronicle.As solar gets smaller, its future gets brighter Nanotechnology could turn rooftops into a sea of power-generating stations. Retrieved August 3, 2006 from http//www.sfgate.com/cgi- bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/07/11/BUG7IDL1AF1.DTLSOLAR CELLS. Retrieved August 3, 2006 from http//www.solarnavigator.net/solar_panels.htmWikipedia. Solar Cell. Retrieved August 3, 2006 from http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell