Solar power

Solar power

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.

Industry: Energy

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Solar power

Temperature compensation

Energy; Solar power

A circuit that adjusts the charge controller activation points depending on battery temperature. This feature is recommended if the battery temperature is expected to vary more than ±5°C from ambient ...

Subsystem

Energy; Solar power

Any one of several components in a photovoltaic system (i.e., array, controller, batteries, inverter, load).

Sulfation

Energy; Solar power

A condition that afflicts unused and discharged batteries; large crystals of lead sulphate grow on the plate, instead of the usual tiny crystals, making the battery extremely difficult to recharge.

Downtime

Energy; Solar power

Time when the photovoltaic system cannot provide power for the load. Usually expressed in hours per year or that percentage.

Superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES)

Energy; Solar power

SMES technology uses the superconducting characteristics of low-temperature materials to produce intense magnetic fields to store energy. It has been proposed as a storage option to support ...