Photovoltaic array
hideA photovoltaic array is a linked collection of photovoltaic modules, which are in turn made of multiple interconnected solar cells. The cells convert solar energy into direct current electricity via the photovoltaic effect. The power that one module can produce is seldom enough to meet requirements of a home or a business, so the modules are linked together to form an array. Most PV arrays use an inverter to convert the DC power produced by the modules into alternating current that can plug into the existing infrastructure to power lights, motors, and other loads. The modules in a PV array are usually first connected in series to obtain the desired voltage; the individual strings are then connected in parallel to allow the system to produce more current. Solar arrays are typically measured by the peak electrical power they produce, in watts, kilowatts, or even megawatts.
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News tagged with solar array
Lotus Plant-Inspired Dust-Busting Shield to Protect Space Gear
Sep 23, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A NASA team is developing a transparent coating that mimics the self-cleaning properties of the lotus plant to prevent dirt from sticking to the surfaces of spaceflight gear and bacteria from ...
$21 Billion Orbiting Solar Array will Beam Electricity to Earth
Sep 15, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The Japanese are preparing to develop a two trillion yen (approximately $21 billion USD) space solar project that will beam electricity from space in the form of microwaves or lasers to around ...
How do you sneeze in a spacesuit? Very carefully
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jul 21, 2009 |
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(AP) -- When it comes to sneezing in a spacesuit during a spacewalk in the void of space, it is best to aim well.
GOES-O satellite reaches orbit, renamed GOES-14
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jul 10, 2009 |
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On June 27, 2009, the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-O, soared into space during a spectacular launch from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. GOES-O has now been renamed ...
Astronauts to blast off to expanded space station
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
May 26, 2009 |
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A Belgian, a Canadian and a Russian blast off for the International Space Station on Wednesday as Russia steps up its rocket launches to support a doubling of the station's crew.
Desert damage: the dark side of solar power?
Mar 30, 2009 |
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Thousands of acres of solar panels could spring up across California's Mojave Desert like a crop of crystal mushrooms -- a new kind of gold rush meant to bring powerful environmental benefits.
Shuttle Discovery Launches to Fully Power Space Station
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Mar 16, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Space shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 7:43 p.m. EDT Sunday to deliver the final set of power-generating solar array wings and a new ...
NASA Gives 'Go' for Space Shuttle Launch on March 11
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Mar 06, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA managers completed a review Friday of space shuttle Discovery's readiness for flight and selected the official launch date for the STS-119 mission. Commander Lee Archambault and his six ...
ORNL goes solar with 288-foot span of panels
Jan 23, 2009 |
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Oak Ridge National Laboratory wants its energy operations to be as advanced as its energy research.
Tiny solar cells built to power microscopic machines
Nov 06, 2008 |
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Some of the tiniest solar cells ever built have been successfully tested as a power source for even tinier microscopic machines. An article in the inaugural issue of the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy (JRSE) ...
