Artem Sokol

04/25/2021

Lab Report Final

Determining Advantages of Utilizing Solar Energy and Identifying Potential Improvements to Solar Panel Technology

Abstract:

Solar energy provides a reusable and environmentally friendly alternative to our current fossil fuel energy. Solar energy is dependent only on the sun and its light rays; thus, we have an unlimited quantity of solar energy, in contrast to our current sources of energy (fossil fuels) which are scarce and limited. Furthermore, the process of converting light into energy does not produce any unwanted and harmful gases. Because solar panels are a relatively new technology, they are yet to reach their full potential and have room for improvement. One of the major improvements that scientists are looking to implement is the use of Gallium-Arsenide instead of Silicon to act as a semi-conductor of electrons within the solar panel system. This lab report will further evaluate the advantages of solar panels and elaborate on how Gallium-Arsenide can innovate and improve solar panel technology.

Introduction:

Solar panels are a collection of photovoltaic cells that function in unison to generate usable energy in the form of electricity. Solar panels are dependent on the solar energy produced by the sun and its light rays. As long as the sun is shining solar panels have an unlimited supply of solar energy which they can convert into usable energy (electricity). Furthermore, the process of converting solar energy into electricity is a completely green process.

One potential improvement of solar panels is the use of Gallium-Arsenide instead of Silicon as a semi-conductor within the solar cells. Electrons travel about five times faster in gallium-arsenide then they do in silicon. (Whitesides). Faster movement of electrons allows for faster creation of electricity and allows for a larger quantity of electricity to be generated. If gallium-arsenide can be developed in greater quantities and at cheaper costs solar panels will be much more effective and thus much more appealing to the public.

Method:

44% of the worlds carbon dioxide emissions come from burning coal. (Nunez). Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases such as nitrogen oxides capture heat produced by the sun in our atmosphere which damages our environment and our atmosphere. (Denchak). Solar panels provide an alternative source of energy to fossil fuels with the benefit of a completely green conversion process. By elaborating on the long-term impact that greenhouse emissions will have on our planet, I will look to propose solar energy and solar panels as a long-term solution to our emissions problem.

“Non-renewable fuels, which include coal, oil, and natural gas, supply about 80 percent of the world’s energy.” (Nunez). We are globally dependent on fossil fuels which are a non-renewable source of energy that takes millions and sometimes hundreds of millions of years to develop. Currently, fossil fuels are easy to extract and cheap to convert into usable energy, but as our global supply continues to decrease and our dependance continues to increase it is not hard to predict that the costs of fossil fuels will eventually become astronomical. By emphasizing our limited supply and increased usage of fossil fuels, I will look to elaborate on how transitioning to solar energy can prevent a global energy crisis and a complete eradication of our fossil fuel supply.

Silicon is currently the most used semi-conductor in solar panel technology. Due to its abundance and low-cost, crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells represent more than 85 percent of worlds photo voltaic cell market. (energy.gov). Despite its low-cost silicon is not nearly as effective at transferring electrons as other semi-conductors such as gallium-arsenide. Silicon based solar modules achieve efficiencies ranging between 18 and 22 percent (energy.gov), which is almost half the efficiency achieved by gallium-arsenide based silicon modules which can reach up to 42 percent efficiency. (Jestin). I will look to discuss how decreasing the cost of gallium-arsenide can allow for increased use of the semi-conductor in photovoltaic cell, which will ultimately allow for more efficient solar panels and increased consumer appeal.

Results/Discussion:

Ultimately fossil fuels are slowly but surely destroying our environment and our atmosphere. Our increased dependence on energy and technology has only increased the speed at which we are damaging our planet. “From 1990 to 2015, the total warming effect from greenhouse gases added by humans to the Earth’s atmosphere increased by 37 percent.” (Epa.gov). The warming effect is directly related to increased sea levels which have risen over 8 inches since 1880, with one third of that increase occurring in the last 3 decades. (Lindsey). Increased sea level can result in increased flooding, more frequent storms, and deterioration of bridges, roads, and buildings. (nationalacademies.org). Furthermore, burning fossil fuels releases toxic gases and chemicals into our atmosphere and environment. “The most significant percentage of toxic water pollution comes from coal-fired power plants.” (sempersolaris.com). Solar energy provides a solution to our warming and pollution problems caused by greenhouse emissions. Solar panels generate electricity by capturing sun rays in the form of sunlight. These sunrays contain positively charged photons which dislodge negatively charged electrons from their respective atom allowing them to be transferred throughout the solar panel system and converted into usable energy in the form of electricity. This process is completely sub-atomic and does not release any hazardous gases or chemicals. Replacing fossil fuel energy which solar energy will completely eradicate the dangerous emissions caused by the process of converting fossil fuels into energy.

“Based on BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy 2016, we’d have about 115 years of coal production, and roughly 50 years of both oil and natural gas remaining.” (Ritchie). Our demand for energy continues to increase while our scarce supplies continue to be drained. Without an alternative and long-term option, we are edging closer to a global energy crisis. Solar energy is the long-term solution to our ever-growing problem. The sun provides a limitless supply for possibly 5 billion years (until our sun stops burning). If science focuses on developing cheaper and more effective methods for harnessing solar energy, the same way we have focused on cheapening and innovating fossil fuels, solar energy will become just as affordable.

According to Helmenstine, Silicon is the second most abundant element on Earth accounting for almost 28% of the mass of the Earth’s crust. Because of its abundance Silicon is relatively cheap and therefore the most common semi-conductor used in solar panel technology. According to Wafer World a distributor of both Silicon and Gallium-Arsenide wafers, an 8-inch wafer of Silicon costs around 5 dollars while an 8-inch wafer of Gallium-Arsenide can cost up to 5,000 dollars. Although GaAs (Gallium-Arsenide) is currently much more expensive than Silicon, it is a superior semi-conductor. As mentioned by Wafer World GaAs has several distinct advantages over Silicon including greater electron mobility, higher efficiency, heat and moisture resistance, and superior flexibility and size. According to Bruce Clemens, a professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford University, “Solar Cells that use gallium arsenide hold the record when it comes to efficiency at which they convert sunlight into electricity”. When utilized it will greatly increase the quantity of energy and the speed at which energy is generated by solar panels. However, if solar panels are to become the world’s main source of energy it is unreasonable to pay 5,000 dollars for a single wafer of GaAs. Stanford University has a potential solution for decreasing the cost of Gallium-Arsenide. Instead of creating new GaAs wafers for each solar cell on the solar panel, Stanford University is looking to reuse the wafers and significantly decrease the price of each solar cell. Professor Clemens believes that “Once it becomes possible to make gallium-arsenide more cost-effectively, other people will jump in to improve other parts of the process”. Rome was not built in a day, but if scientists continue to innovate and improve the process eventually GaAs will be just as affordable as Silicon.

References:

1. University, Stanford. “New Stanford Manufacturing Process Could Yield Better Solar Cells, Faster Chips.” Stanford News, 5 Oct. 2017, news.stanford.edu/2015/03/24/chips-laser-lift-032415/.
2. Bywaferworld, Posted. “GaAs Wafer: Gallium Arsenide vs Silicon.” Wafer World, 31 Aug. 2018, www.waferworld.com/gaas-wafer-vs-silicon/.
3. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. “Know the Most Abundant Chemical Element.” ThoughtCo, 5 Nov. 2019, www.thoughtco.com/most-abundant-element-in-the-universe-602186.
4. Nationalacademies.org, www.nationalacademies.org/based-on-science/human-driven-climate-change-is-causing-sea-levels-to-rise.
5. Lindsey, Rebecca. “Climate Change: Global Sea Level: NOAA Climate.gov.” Climate Change: Global Sea Level | NOAA Climate.gov, 25 Jan. 2021, www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level.
6. “Solar Power Solving World Problems.” Semper Solaris, (888) 210-3366, 8 Jan. 2021, www.sempersolaris.com/solar-power-solving-world-problems/.
7. “Climate Change Indicators: Greenhouse Gases.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 9 Nov. 2020, www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/greenhouse-gases.
8. Ritchie, Hannah. “How Long before We Run out of Fossil Fuels?” Our World in Data, 8 Aug. 2017, ourworldindata.org/how-long-before-we-run-out-of-fossil-fuels.
9. Denchak, Melissa. “Greenhouse Effect 101.” NRDC, 23 July 2019, www.nrdc.org/stories/greenhouse-effect-101.
10. Nunez, Christina. “Fossil Fuels, Explained.” Environment, National Geographic, 2 Apr. 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/fossil-fuels.
11. Whitesides, George. “Gallium Arsenide: Key To Faster, Better Computing.” The Scientist Magazine®, 30 Oct. 1988, www.the-scientist.com/research/gallium-arsenide-key-to-faster-better-computing-62519.
12. “Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics Research.” Energy.gov, www.energy.gov/eere/solar/crystalline-silicon-photovoltaics-research.
13. Jestin, Yoann. “Gallium Arsenides.” Gallium Arsenides – an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, 2012, www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/gallium-arsenides.

Appendix:

(ourworldindata.org/how-long-before-we-run-out-of-fossil-fuels)

Sea level since 1880

(www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level)