Significant Progress in Solar Energy Following 70 Years of Implementation in the Country
Solar energy has existed for 70 years, but only in recent decades has it gained more and more prominence and is now the second largest generator of electricity in Brazil. The country has occupied the fifth position in the world in the last three years, with the installation of photovoltaic systems. Photovoltaic energy is the third most important in Brazil after hydraulic and wind energy.
A photovoltaic energy laboratory has been operating at the University of São Paulo since 1995, that is, USP has been researching this type of sustainable energy for almost 29 years. Physicist and professor Roberto Zilles is coordinator of the Photovoltaic Systems Laboratory at the Institute of Energy and Environment (IEE) and explains that, in 1954, this type of radiation was already being used.
The operation of solar energy is based on the photovoltaic principle, that is, it transforms sunlight into electricity. At first, the solar energy system was only used for space research, but over the years it started to be implemented here.
Evolution
A photovoltaic system device to produce energy for a home or business currently has around 20% utilization, but 25% cells are already being developed, however, for very specific use. Just to give you an idea, the first panel had an efficiency of just 6%.
Currently, it is possible for a solar system to be supplied with the presence of an electrical grid, precisely so that storage can occur. A system can only be photovoltaic, as long as there is viable electrochemical storage for remote regions such as fields or rural buildings. The initial investment to implement the solar energy system greatly reduced its cost; according to the USP professor, the amount will be paid off in four years.
The legal framework to normalize the generation of clean and sustainable energy, law 14,300, allows the generation of solar energy without the presence of electrical energy. The largest solar energy markets are China, the United States and Japan, according to a survey carried out by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena). The largest production still occurs in Asia.
The use of solar energy is already a reality here at the University of São Paulo, with a half-megawatt plant as a way of disseminating good usage and consumption practices. Solar energy still faces challenges, such as reducing installation costs, improving storage methods and developing efficient distribution systems.