DIY Solar Cell Technology - Making it at Home Conditions

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of creating solar cells and heliostat solar towers at home. Participants explore the materials and processes involved in solar cell fabrication, as well as alternative methods for harnessing solar energy in a DIY context.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Raivis expresses interest in making solar cells at home using crystalline silicon and seeks information on the necessary materials and processes.
  • One participant notes that silicon fabrication and doping require complex equipment and potentially hazardous gases, suggesting that home fabrication may not be safe.
  • This participant proposes the idea of constructing a heliostat solar tower as a simpler and safer alternative for harnessing solar energy.
  • Raivis inquires about the practicality of building a heliostat solar tower at home.
  • Another participant believes that building a heliostat could be practical and safe with common-sense precautions, while also discussing considerations based on the environment, such as proximity to airports and neighbors.
  • A quiz question is posed regarding the potential peak power output of a heliostat-based solar oven with a specified mirror area.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the feasibility of making solar cells at home, with some expressing skepticism about safety and complexity, while others suggest alternative methods like heliostat solar towers. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the practicality of these projects.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the need for specific equipment and safety considerations, highlighting the complexity of solar cell fabrication and the environmental factors affecting the construction of heliostat towers.

Raivis
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Hello!
I'm very interested in solar cell tehnology. I know that the main material used is crystalline silicon. Is it possible to buy all the materials that are necessary and to make the solar cell at home conditions? I hope that this process is not very complicated and laboratory isn't needed? What this process would include and is there some babyseps in doing it?
I'd be very happy for any kind of information!
Electronics is my hobby, maybe it can help me..

Wishing a nice day,
Raivis
 
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Hmmm. Offhand, the silicon fabrication and doping processes that I'm familiar with take a fairly complicated oven and vacuum chamber setup, and use some darned dangerous gasses. There might be some other simpler processes by now for solar cell fabrication, though. Here is some basic background, with links to more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell

Even if you buy wafers that have already been sawed from ingots, the doping steps still require the vacuum oven and the gasses. Probably not very safe for you or your neighbors. How about making a small-scale heliostat solar tower, and using thermal conversion instead?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliostat
 
Thank you very much!
Do you think I could make heliostat solar tover at home conditions?
 
Raivis said:
Thank you very much!
Do you think I could make heliostat solar tover at home conditions?

I think it's relatively practical, and with some common-sense, it could be reasonably safe. Emphasis on the common-sense part. If you live near an airport, and have a small yard with lots of close neighbors and flammable trees in the yard, then it probably would not be a good thing to experiment with, except maybe on a table-top scale (which will still teach you a lot of things). If planes and helicopters don't fly over your home, and you have a large back yard or property (preferably), then you should be able to make something maybe 10m x 10m, and produce something like a kW or two.

Quiz Question -- if you built a very efficient heliostat-based solar oven, with 10m x 10m of mirror area, what peak power would you be able to produce?
 

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