Solar Energy: The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion, technologies and systems

This book provides a broad overview on the different aspects of solar energy, with a focus on photovoltaics, which is the technology that allows light energy to be converted into electric energy.

Renewable energy sources have become increasingly popular in recent years, and solar is one of the most adaptable and attractive types - from solar farms to support the National Grid to roof panels/tiles used for solar thermal heating systems, and small solar garden lights.

Written by Delft University researchers, Solar Energy uniquely covers both the physics of photovoltaic (PV) cells and the design of PV systems for real-life applications, from a concise history of solar cells components and location issues of current systems. The book is designed to make this complicated subject accessible to all, and is packed with fascinating graphs and charts, as well as useful exercises to cement the topics covered in each chapter.

Solar Energy outlines the fundamental principles of semiconductor solar cells, as well as PV technology: crystalline silicon solar cells, thin-film cells, PV modules, and third-generation concepts. There is also background on PV systems, from simple stand-alone to complex systems connected to the grid. This is an invaluable reference for physics students, researchers, industrial engineers and designers working in solar energy generation, as well those with a general interest in renewable energy.

I. Introduction
1. Energy
2. Status and prospects of PV technology
3. The working principle of a solar cell

II. PV Fundamentals
4. Electrodynamic basics
5. Solar radiation
6. Basic semiconductor physics
7. Generation and recombination of electron-hole pairs
8. Semiconductor junctions
9. Solar cell parameters and equivalent circuit
10. Losses and efficiency limits

III. PV technology
11. A short history of solar cells
12. Crystalline silicon solar cells
13. Thin-film solar cells
14. A closer look to some processes
15. PV modules
16. Third generation concepts

IV. PV systems
17. Introduction to PV systems
18. Location issues
19. Components of PV systems
20. PV system design
21. PV System economics and ecology

V. Alternative solar energy conversion technologies
22. Solar thermal energy
23. Solar fuels

Appendix
A. Derivations in electrodynamics
B. Derivation of homojunctions J-V curves
C. Some aspects of surface recombination
D. The morphology of selected TCO samples
E. Some aspects on location issues
F. Derivations for DC-DC converters
G. Fluid-dynamic model

Bibliography
Index