When light strikes the photovoltaic cell, the electrons in the
PV cell become excited. The electrons tend to accumulate on one
side of the semiconductor, while the other side has fewer electrons.
This creates a voltage between them. If a wire connects the two
sides this voltage will cause a current to flow. This current
can be used in series or parallel or series and parallel with
other cells to create almost any desired amount of current or
voltage. This is DC voltage. If AC is desired an inverter must
be used.
Are Photovoltaics cost effective?
Solar Power costs more than utility power for the same amount
of power. You can’t lower a high power bill with photovoltaics.
But PV is cost effective in virtually all off grid applications
today. If you consider the true costs of bringing utility power
to your site, we believe nearly everyone will agree that solar
is cost effective today in all applications.
Not included in Utility price per KWH
Externality costs: costs not charged to the consumer, but paid by others thru increased illness or lower environmental/quality of life or higher direct
costs paid in other ways.
Nitrous Oxide - NOx - $8,143/ton
Sulfer DiOxide - SO2 - $1,923/ton
Carbon DiOxide - CO2 - $27/ton
PM-10 - $9,953/ton
UHC - $6,674/ton
CO - $1,086/ton Information from Resource Insight Inc.
Federal Dams in Ore WA and Idaho are responsible for the drop from 16 million to .3 million wild salmon/ yr. 88% of juvenile salmon are killed by hydroelectric dams.
Information from the University of Oregon.
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