Conventional sources of energy Non-conventional sources of energy

These are already available in nature but These are also already available in nature but can
cannot be used after they are exhausted. produce energy continuously at an almost
constant rate.

They are limited in nature. Since these are continuously replenishing energy
resources and will be exhausted after millions of
years. Therefore we can extract an unlimited
amount of energy from them.

Easily available in our daily life. For now, these sources are alternate sources of
energy.

Produce a lot of pollution which is harmful By-products are very less or negligible, hence
to both humans and nature. these are good resources of energy.

Some energy resources are available for For now, these are used majorly for domestic
both domestic uses and for industrial purposes.
uses.

Fossil fuels and nowadays, nuclear fuels Sunlight, ocean tides, wind, geothermal energy
are some of the examples of conventional and hydro energy are some of the examples of
sources of energy. non-conventional sources of energy.

Advantages of Non-Conventional Sources of Energy

1. Renewability – Non-conventional sources of energy, such as solar, wind, and hydro

power, are renewable, meaning they can be replenished naturally and will not run out.
2. Non-conventional sources of energy, such as solar, wind, and hydro power, are
renewable, meaning they can be replenished naturally and will not run out. – Non-
conventional sources of energy produce little to no carbon emissions, making them a
cleaner and more sustainable option for generating power.
3. Cost-effective – The cost of non-conventional sources of energy such as solar and wind
power have decreased significantly in recent years, making them more cost-effective
than ever before.
4. Widely Available – Non-conventional sources of energy are widely available and can
be harnessed from almost anywhere, making them accessible to many regions and
countries.
5. Diversification – Non-conventional sources of energy provide an opportunity for
diversification of energy sources, reducing dependence on any one source of energy and
increasing overall energy security.
Disadvantages of Non-Conventional Sources of Energy

1. Weather Dependency – Non-conventional sources of energy such as solar and wind

power rely heavily on the weather, which can make it difficult to generate consistent and
reliable power.
2. High Initial Investment – The initial investment required to set up non-conventional
energy systems can be quite high, which may not be feasible for some individuals or
organizations.
3. Inefficient Storage – Non-conventional energy sources such as solar and wind power
are often generated in large amounts during peak times, but storage options for this
excess energy may not be efficient or cost-effective.
4. Limited Capacity – Non-conventional sources of energy have a limited capacity when
compared to conventional sources such as coal and natural gas, which can limit their
overall potential.
5. Environmental Impact – Non-conventional energy sources can also have negative
environmental impacts, such as large-scale hydroelectric dams that can cause habitat
destruction and displace local communities.

Non-conventional sources of energy

The natural resources that can produce useful energy continuously for a long period of time
and are available again and again for use even after it is exhausted are known as non-
conventional sources of energy or renewable resources of energy. Some types of non-
conventional sources of energy are; sunlight, wind, water flow, and ocean.

(a) Solar energy: The energy produced by the Sun is referred to as solar energy. It is formed
due to nuclear fission and fusion inside the Sun. This energy travels in the form of radiation
(electromagnetic waves). This energy is collected by some photovoltaic cell panels which
absorb the solar energy and convert it into electricity that can be used for home appliances.
Solar heating panels are used to heat the water in the solar heater.

(b) Wind: When we talk about wind energy then it means that the wind speed should be high
enough to produce a considerable amount of useful work. This kind of wind energy is usually
available near the coastal regions or near the mountains where high wind flow is available at a
constant rate. Big turbines, called wind turbines are installed at such sites to tap this wind
energy which drives these turbines and as result, electricity is generated.

(c) Tidal energy: We know the tides are created in the ocean due to the rotation of the Earth
and the attraction between Earth and the moon. Tides are nothing but the rise and fall of the
water level in the ocean. We can observe it easily on the shores. The tidal energy is captured by
forming narrow dams at the narrow entrances of rivers. During high tides and low tides, the
motion of the water column is used to rotate the turbines that produce electricity.
(d) Biomass energy: Biomass energy is extracted from biological materials where biological
materials are formed from living organisms and plants. In the biomass power plant, biomass is
burnt into a combustor in order to produce heat which will be further converted into
mechanical energy in order to generate electricity. Biomass can also be converted into other
forms of energy like fuels used in transportation, biodiesel or methane gas depending on the
requirements.

(e) Geothermal energy: As we know that the temperature increases as we move inside the
Earth's layers. This high temperature is the thermal energy source. Potential sources can be hot
springs and volcanoes which contain a very high amount of heat. This kind of energy is known
as geothermal energy. This energy can be extracted and can be used to generate electricity. In
Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, geothermal power plants are located.

Solar Cell
A solar cell is an electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by
the photovoltaic effect, which is a physical and chemical phenomenon.
It is a form of photoelectric cell, defined as a device whose electrical characteristics, such as
current, voltage, or resistance, vary when exposed to light. Solar cells are the building blocks of
photovoltaic modules, otherwise known as solar panels.
Solar cells are described as being photovoltaic irrespective of whether the source is sunlight or
an artificial light. They are used as a photodetector (for example infrared detectors), detecting
light or other electromagnetic radiation near the visible range, or measuring light intensity.
Solar cells are often bundled together to make larger units called solar modules, themselves
coupled into even bigger units known as solar panels.
Just like the cells in a battery, the cells in a solar panel are designed to generate electricity; but
where a battery’s cells make electricity from chemicals, a solar panel’s cells generate power by
capturing sunlight instead.

Solar Cell Materials: Solar cells are made of different materials and Silicon (Si) is one used
in nearly 90% applications. The choice of the materials depends on the energy gap, efficiency
and cost. The maximum efficiency of solar cell is achieved with the band energy of 1.12 eV
– 2.3 eV. Other commonly used Materials are Cadmium Telluride (CdTe), Gallium Arsenide
(GaAs), Zinc Telluride (ZnTe) etc.
How does a Solar Cells work?
A solar cell is a sandwich of n-type silicon and p-type silicon . It generates electricity by using
sunlight to make electrons hop across the junction between the different flavours of silicon:
1. When sunlight shines on the cell, photons (light particles) bombard the upper surface.
2. The photons carry their energy down through the cell.
3. The photons give up their energy to electrons in the lower, p-type layer.
4. The electrons use this energy to jump across the barrier into the upper, n-type layer and
escape out into the circuit.
5. Flowing around the circuit, the electrons make the lamp light up.

Construction & Working of Solar Cell :-

Types of Solar Cells (On the basis of Generation)
There are three types of Solar Cells with each having distinguished features. They are as follows:
1. First-Generation Solar Cells: About 90 percent of the world’s solar cells are made from
wafers of crystalline silicon (abbreviated c-Si), sliced from large ingots, which are grown
in super-clean laboratories in a process that can take up to a month to complete. The
ingots either take the form of single crystals (monocrystalline or mono-Si) or contain
multiple crystals (polycrystalline, multi-Si or poly c-Si).

2. Second-Generation Solar Cells: Classic solar cells are relatively thin wafers—usually a
fraction of a millimetre deep (about 200 micrometres, 200μm, or so). But they’re
absolute slabs compared to second-generation cells, popularly known as thin-film solar
cells or thin-film photovoltaics which are about 100 times thinner again (several
micrometres or millionths of a meter deep). Although most are still made from silicon (a
different form known as amorphous silicon, a-Si, in which atoms are arranged randomly
instead of precisely ordered in a regular crystalline structure), some are made from
other materials, notably cadmium-telluride and copper indium gallium diselenide.

3. Third-Generation Solar Cells: The latest technologies combine the best features of first
and second generation cells. Like first-generation cells, they promise relatively high
efficiencies (30 percent or more). Like second-generation cells, they’re more likely to be
made from materials other than “simple” silicon, such as amorphous silicon, organic
polymers perovskite crystals, and feature multiple junctions.
Uses of Solar Cell
Biogas Solar cells are portable, durable and the maintenance cost is low. It was discovered in
the year 1950 and its first use was in communication satellite Let’s see some Solar cell
applications for different purposes:

1. Transportation
2. Solar cells in calculators
 3. Solar cell panels

1. Solar Cell for Transportation

Solar energy is used in cars. This solar power is created by photovoltaic cells. This electricity is
transferred to the storage battery or powers the motor. Ed Passerini was the first person to
build a solar car. The first powered car was created in the year 1977

2. Solar Cells in Calculators

Solar-powered calculators use photovoltaic cells. These calculators work with solar energy. The
light from sun gives power for the operation of calculators. Solar calculators work very well in
outdoor light

3. Solar Cell Panels

On the rooftop, solar panels are kept. It is used as a solar heater which heats the water. This
water can be used for bathing. Also, another use it helps in generating power. People can store
this energy in the backup battery and can use during power cut issues. Or people can store this
energy and use it to generate electricity in their house and save money by reducing the
electricity bill.

Solar Cell Power Plant:

Depending on the method of utilization there can be two configurations:

1. Stand alone system 2. Grid connected system

1. Stand Alone System:

This system having following characteristics:
• Operates autonomously and independently.
• Commonly used for backup power where connecting to grids are very costly.
• Can be used to power DC loads and by the use of an inverter it may used for AC loads also.
• Hybrid stand alone systems may include other power producing devices also for backup.

1. Standalone systems may be of any one of the categories:

• Direct Coupled Stand alone system.
• Stand alone system with Battery storage.
• Stand alone system with battery and charge control.
 • Stand alone system with AC and DC loads.
• Hybrid Stand alone systems.

(a) Direct Coupled Stand Alone System:

a. In this the solar array is directly connected to the DC load.

b. There is no energy storage.
c. It can be used only in sunshine hours.
d. Basically, uses for water supply pumps for agricultural purpose.

(b) Stand Alone System with Battery Storage:

a. In this the PV array charges the battery and the battery supplies DC power to
the loads.
b. There is no charge control and is susceptible to overcharge and over discharge.

(c) Stand Alone System with Batteries and Charge Control:

a. This has got charge control for controlling the charge / discharge.
 (d) Stand Alone Systems with AC and DC Loads:
a. This system can be used to power AC as well as DC loads
b. It needs inverter in the circuit.
c. In addition, the main AC supply also may be used for charging only in the
case ofemergency.

(e) Hybrid Standalone Systems:

a. In such systems one or more sources in addition to the PV panels are used.
b. Sources like stand by engines, turbines, fuel cells etc. may be used in
conjunction with PV arrays which reduces the dependency on any single
source.
2. Grid Connected Systems:
a. In this system the power generated by the PV array is fed to the grid or to the AC load
directly.
b. At the time of excess power generation, the requirement of the loads is supplied to
acommercial grid.
c. The output from the inverter has to satisfy the norms of the quality of the electrical
standard so that it can match the grid system.
Factor Affecting EfGiciency of Solar Cell:
1. Reilection losses at the top surface.
2. Shading due to charge collection grid.
3. Incomplete absorption of energy due to limited cell thickness.
4. Collection losses.

Advantages & Disadvantages of PV Systems:

Advantages:
• PV channel provides clean form of energy with any harmful greenhouse gas
emissionsthus it is environmentally friendly.
• These systems produce electricity in a direct electricity way of generation.
• These systems have no mechanical moving parts, expect in case of solar- tracking
mechanical bases, hence having very low breakage or require less maintenance.
• Solar energy is especially appropriate for smart energy networks with distributed
powergeneration - DPG is indeed the next generation power network structure.

Disadvantages:
• Solar panels efiiciency levels are relatively low (maximum 30%) compared to the
efiiciency levels of other renewable energy systems.
• Solar power is a variable energy source, with energy production dependent on the
sun. Solar facilities may produce no power at all some of the time, which could lead to
an energy shortage if too much of a region's power comes from solar power.
• In case of land-mounted PV panel installations, they require relatively large areas for
deployment; usually the land space is committed for this purpose for a period of 15-
20 years – or even longer.