Solar power is a simple process that requires no mechanical rotating parts, and solar power systems can be utilized independently of conventional power supplies. Compared to new energy sources such as wind, biomass and nuclear, solar power is the most desirable renewable energy generation technology for sustainable development. However, there are drawbacks to solar energy, and below we describe some of the main risks of solar energy.
1. High initial investment cost
The main components of a solar power system can be divided into photovoltaic panel arrays, solar charger controllers, solar inverters, batteries and solar mounting racking and other components. This basic equipment according to different sizes and needs, equipment acquisition costs may be in the tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars, but these are only the initial cost of solar energy system.
In addition, the later maintenance costs are mainly divided into routine maintenance and professional maintenance, to ensure that the solar power system can be detected in time when there is a transient power generation abnormality. This is a necessary expenditure to maintain the long-term stable operation of solar power. In addition, it is also necessary to consider the corresponding labor costs according to different regions and workloads. It can be seen that solar power systems are costly, which may affect the motivation of individuals and some businesses to install solar systems.
2. Geographical and weather limitations
Solar power release in the world there are obvious differences, mainly distributed in a series of light source rich and moderate temperature areas, in North Africa, the Middle East, Southern Europe, the Americas and Western China and other regions, because of its extremely high total annual solar irradiation, solar power potential and practical applications are particularly prominent. Some high-latitude countries in the northern hemisphere, due to shorter hours of sunshine or sunshine intensity is not enough, may not be conducive to the development of solar power.
The principle of solar power generation is essentially the direct conversion of light energy into electricity using the photovoltaic effect (photovoltaic effect) produced by light irradiating a semiconductor. This may lead to the misconception that solar power generation efficiency increases at higher temperatures, but this is not the case, and higher temperatures do not equal more light energy. The voltage resistance of the mechanism is also significantly reduced at low temperatures, which results in lower power generation. Mechanical devices need to dissipate heat in a timely manner in high-temperature environments, but this may still affect the durability of the solar panel encapsulation material, and in severe cases, the circuitry may be burned out directly.
3. Reliability of solar energy system
With the continuous development of solar power technology, photovoltaic species on the market has also increased, Jinko, Longi and a series of well-known brands of solar equipment in different aspects of their respective advantages. In addition to these well-known brands, there are also some less well-known brands, resulting in a large difference in the reliability of the photovoltaic system. Photovoltaic system reliability and later solar power generation efficiency, photovoltaic system life is closely linked.
4. Safety issues
Solar systems are generally safe, but there are still some potential safety hazards. The main safety hazards of solar systems are the hot spot effect and damage to the inverter leading to electric shock. The hot spot effect is that under certain conditions, the solar cells that are shaded in the series branch circuit are used as loads to consume the heat generated by other solar cells that have light, and the solar modules will heat up locally. This effect can seriously damage the solar cell, but also increase the energy consumption. A bypass diode connected in parallel between the positive and negative stages of the solar module or timely cleaning and maintenance to remove debris on the surface of the module can reduce such safety hazards.
The inverter is the most vulnerable component of a solar system. There is also the greatest likelihood of a safety issue occurring with a damaged inverter. If the inverter malfunctions or is damaged, it may cause current to flow out to the metal enclosure, resulting in an electric shock. At this point, the components need to be replaced in a timely manner to minimize the occurrence of safety issues.
