Photovoltaic Energy Systems; Current Technology, Profitability and Future Prospects

Photovoltaic Energy Systems; Current Technology, Profitability and Future Prospects
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Photovoltaic Energy Systems; Current Technology, Profitability and Future Prospects
A photovoltaic system is designed to capture power from the sun and convert it into electricity. Many people call it the solar panel. In particular, solar panels are not new and individuals have been using them for an extended period. Sunlight is a renewable energy source and the only way to tap it is by using a photovoltaic system. For example, in a bid to eliminate global warming and other adverse environmental effects, the government has encouraged citizens to use solar panels to light their homes to reduce overdependence on fossil fuels. Indeed, this current technology is mature and can be relied upon to meet the domestic needs of many households. A photovoltaic system is safe, cheap to maintain, and provides clean energy without emitting any greenhouse gases. On that note, installing it significantly contributes to having a sustainable home and better environment. Sunlight is always there almost every day and provides an energy source that can be replenished. The paper aims to focus on the photovoltaic energy system and how this current technology is profitable without forgetting to discuss its future prospects.
The photovoltaic energy system is a renewable energy technology that has attracted more attention recently. Photovoltaics also called solar panels offer reliable clean power and are the solution for addressing environmental issues associated with fossil fuels. The system uses photovoltaic cells to gather solar energy from the sunlight and convert it into direct current (DC) (Energy.gov, n.d.). The DC electricity is taken to an inverter that converts it into alternating current (AC). The diagram below shows the primary components of a photovoltaic energy system and how it can be installed at home (Kunz, 2021).
Figure 1: Crucial Components of a Photovoltaic Energy System.


Source: /solar-energy/photovoltaics/photovoltaic-system
A solar photovoltaic array comprises numerous photovoltaic cells that collect solar energy and generate DC electricity. Besides, solar panels are of different sizes, and their installation is done depending on the available size and the electricity needs of an individual. Photovoltaic systems are installed using stable mounting structures and can withstand weather conditions, such as rain and wind.
Figure 1 shows the second crucial component of a photovoltaic energy system is a charge controller. A charge controller is vital, and it regulates the DC electricity collected from sunlight to ensure that batteries do not overcharge. Indeed, its primary purpose is to measure whether batteries are charged fully so that they can stop the flow of current to prevent permanent damage. Charge controllers can be Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) or Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). A PWM is suitable for small photovoltaic systems with amperes ranging from 4 to 60. In contrast, an MPPT is suitable for large photovoltaic systems with a high voltage of upto 160 volts (Satpathy & Pamuru, 2021). Some photovoltaic systems...