Solar Cells: From space onto German house roof

The rapid development of solar technology

Britta Wagner

It began in 1954 with a discovery in a U.S. lab - then its longevity surprised at all: Today is the day on many solar cell roof tops. In Kassel, advise researchers on the future of technology. heute.de gives an overview.

The first silicon mineral solar cell was only two square inches in size and could power a radio. At the beginning of the solar energy was relatively expensive: the cost of one watt of power now are in one Euro - earlier it was a hundred times as much. Therefore it was first used in high-tech field of space in 1958 launched the first satellite with solar cells, sending signals for six years.
LINKS
Storm clouds on a solar system.

   * Solar companies struggling with storm clouds

The cost decreases

Not until the oil crisis on the use of the earth was interesting. Gradually solar power competitive in Germany. "For the year 2012 is the grid-parity achieved," Bruno Burger says the Freiburg Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, "Then the producer prices are for solar power on the price level of the normal household current of approximately 25 cents per kWh." Its estimates to decrease further the cost of solar energy reaches the end of the decade, the level of the cheaper industrial electricity rates below 10 cents per kWh.
Infobox
ISES Solar World Congress 2011

On the world's largest scientific congress on solar energy and architecture around 700 scientists advise on the future of energy supply. Even for companies in the solar industry is a major event in the world congress.

"Reason is the cost of deterioration of the modules, as with any semiconductor technology. In the computer field is very similar," says Burger. The solar industry has now stand at the "Solar World Congress" swapped in Kassel on progress. She now works at the third Generation of solar cells.

Copied from the plant

The classical silicon cell is still over 90 percent market share. The substance may be the second most common element on earth. But to be produced from silica sand as pure silicon crystals, is cumbersome. Therefore, researchers and manufacturers try to use less raw materials by implementing lean manufacturing principles. One approach is the thin-film technology - silicon on a base made of glass, metal or plastic.


The latest development comes not from silicon: Here the light to convert organic dyes such as the photosynthesis of plants into energy. The thin and cheaper, for example, modules can be used in clothing. However, their lifetime is very short.
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Kinderfußabdrücke.

   * With the sun can save electricity each

Light through lenses bundled

The biggest drawback of the new technique is its lower power. "There is always a compromise between cost and efficiency," says Burger. While the first silicon cell had an efficiency between four and six percent, it has now reached with the standard solar cell industry in the 20-percent mark, cells obtained from the laboratory even higher values. The efficiency of thin-film and organic solar cells, however, is still in single digits.


But the development is progressing rapidly. An example is the concentrator technology, in which the modules track the sun and the incident light is focused by lenses. Several layers of solar cells use different wavelengths of light, and add the yield. The technology should be used especially in sunny regions.

More reliable than solar wind

But even in Germany, the sun is already bearing its share in the power supply. Burgers evaluations show that solar energy can cover the midday peak consumption. Here, the sun turned out to be more reliable than the wind - even this summer. "That surprised even the experts that are seen to offset the fluctuations in the weather over the entire area of ​​Germany," says Burger.

public tenders

Submissions-Anzeiger and ondux GmbH offers innovative mechanism for public tenders. / Now make contacts to interview experts and share with like-minded people through tenders and procurement under www.bieternetzwerk.de. /

HAMBURG. Every day, the publicly advertised hundreds of jobs - companies use these alerts to get jobs. At the interface between procurement officials and companies seeking contracts to sit for over 100 years of Submissions-Anzeiger: Five times a week Submissions-Anzeiger published in its print edition tenders in the construction industry, for services and delivery services. Also, the alerts are available online: The online database is updated daily www.submission.de. "Public tenders are lucrative for the company - to participate in the tender is not always easy," says Hans-Joachim Busch, chief editor of the Submissions-Anzeiger. For the audience that wants to exchange information about public tenders and make new contacts, the team has created the Submissions-Anzeiger a unique platform: the bidder network, accessible at www.bieternetzwerk.de. Also consider visiting engineering tenders for South African tenders in the engineering sector.

The idea for the bidder network was the team of Submissions-Anzeiger long ago. Busch says: "We often got requests from construction companies, the Council for participation in the competition needed. . We have recognized the need for the establishment of a forum about public tenders and made us equal in the implementation, "Together with our partner ondux GmbH, the team developed the Submissions-Anzeiger www.bieternetzwerk.de the social network, which - like Xing - offers the opportunity to exchange views on tendering and procurement and to make contacts. The bidding network is exclusively accessible to people from the building industry, trade, industry and trade, architects, planners, engineers and selected experts. It is a closed forum on the subject of public procurement, have no access to the buyer. The participation in the bidding network is free and offers participants the opportunity to interact with like-minded people to monetary issues or get advice from experts when things are problems with the tender. The platform www.bieternetzwerk.de offers support in all matters relating to public procurement and contracting.




The platform of www.bieternetzwerk.de Submissions-Anzeiger the all-round service for tendering and contracting has completed. The submission of tender in the Gazette print copy and online at www.submission.de, the bidder network can engage in a debate and expert advice. In short: Full service from a single source. For questions regarding the bidder network can at any time to the free service hotline 0 800 - contact 664 81 60th

Company Information / Profile:

For over 100 years of Submissions-Anzeiger published five times a week and provides information on Germany-wide calls for tender in the construction and related industries. For 10 years, the database of the Submissions-Anzeiger is also available at www.submission.de online - with convenient search options. Number of collaborations, a good network and 100 years of experience are the special qualities of the Submissions-Anzeiger.

careers for engineers

Bernie Berson, PE, LS, FNSPE, has over 45 years of experience in engineering and land surveying, and has operated his own practice for nearly 30 years.  He is currently the Chairman of the NSPE Mentoring Task Force, which helps students and young engineers with career transition and licensure, and will assume Presidency of the NSPE in July 2006.

Doug Benner, PE, FNSPE, MBA, is currently President of DEB Consulting, where he provides electrical and forensic engineering services, project management, and webpage design and maintenance.  He is a Career Transition Coach for NSPE and is the Chairman for the NJSPE’s Institute for Professional Leadership. 

Great Jobs for engineering Majors

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Great Jobs for Engineering Majors (Great Jobs Series)


Geraldine Garner
 
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jobs for engineers in South Africa

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