Home
Solar Power Basics
- About The Sun
- Solar Cell Basics
- Solar Modules (Panels)
- Houses Off The Grid (Stand Alone)
- Houses On The Grid
- Utility Systems
- US Solar Radiation
The Sun and Heliosphere
- Our Interesting Sun
- The Sun's Regions
- Sunspot Cycles
- Coronal Loops
- How Exactly Does The Sun Radiate Energy?
- Magnetic Properties
- Solar Flares And CMEs
- Spicules And Alfvénic Waves
- The Heliosphere
- Star Mira - An Example Of An Astrosphere
- Cosmic Ray Shield
- How Long Will The Sun Last?
- The Big Questions
Solar In-depth
- The Sun's Energy
- World Solar Radiation Map
- Solar Radiation Spectrum
- Solar Insolation
- All About Silicon
- Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells
- Thin Film Solar Cells
- Solar Efficiency Limits
- Sun "Tracker" Panels
- Solar Inverters
- Central Inverters vs. Micro Inverters
- Laboratory Technology Advances:
- Australian National University - Nanoparticles
- NREL - Plasmonic Particles
- MIT - Can Solar Energy Be Economically Stored?
- Stanford University - Photon Enhanced Thermionic Emission (PETE)
- California Institute Of Technology - Micro Wires
- Space Based Solar Power (SBSP)
Solar Efficiency Limits
- The Shockley Queisser (SQ) Efficiency Limit
- Critical SQ Limit Assumptions
- What Electro-Magnetic Waves Are Absorbed By A Solar Cell?
- Strategies To Exceed The SQ Limit
- Multi-junction Solar Cells - "Tandem Cells"
- Concentrate The Sunlight
- Combine a PV semiconductor with a heat based technology (PETE)
- Quantum Dots Absorb Some of the Excess Photon Energy
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)
- Parabolic Trough Solar Systems
- Solana Parabolic Trough Plant - Arizona
- Solar Tower Systems
- Ivanpah Plants - California
- Dish Stirling Systems
Solar Electricity Costs
- What Does Regular Electricity Cost?
- What Does Solar Electricity Cost?
- When Will PV Solar Reach Grid Parity?
- PV Solar Parity Has Begun
- Why are PV solar costs coming down rapidly?
- Long Run Solar Cost
- Solar Learning Curves
- Residential Cost Example - Typical Southwest House
- Utility Cost Of Electricity
Solar Markets
- PV Solar Growth
- PV Solar Installations By Country
- Market Share Forecast By Region
- Market Share By Technology
- US PV Market Growth
- US CSP Market Growth
Leading Companies
- 2011 Top Solar "Cell" Manufacturers Worldwide
- 2011 Top Solar "Module" Manufacturers Worldwide
- Overcapacity Issues In 2011
- Featured US Solar Companies:
- First Solar
- SunPower
- MiaSolé
- Amonix
- Power-One (Inverters)
- Enphase Energy (Micro Inverters)
The Smart Grid
- Basics Of The Grid
- What Is A Smart Grid?
- Transmission Grid Improvements
- High Speed Monitoring Of The Grid
- Management Of Wind Power
- Redirect Power Using Intelligent Substations
- Adjust Customer Loads
- Distribution Grid Improvements
- Install Intelligent "Business & Home" Internal Grids
- Installation Of Huge Numbers Of Roof Top Solar Systems
- Grid Electricity Storage
- What Are Solar Storms?
- Forecasting Storms
- Operational Guidelines
- New Forecasting Tool: WSA-Enlil
Grid Electricity Storage
- Management Of Wind And Solar Power
- Storage Systems:
- Batteries - Rechargeable Basics
- Grid Scale Battery Storage
- Molten Salt Storage
- Compressed Air Storage
- Flywheel Energy Storage
- Liquid Metal Batteries - MIT
Energy Profiles
- US Total Sources And Uses Of Energy
- US Electricity (Only) By Source
- World Electricity By Source
- Sun And Wind Are Complementary
- Carbon Footprint
- Solar Power Is Our Most Abundant Resource
Stirling Engines
P/N Junctions & Band Gaps
- P/N Junctions
- Effect Of Temperature On A Solar P/N Junction
- Band Gap Definition
- Band Gaps Of Different Materials
- Ideal Solar Band Gaps