Production of solar batteries in Russia: technology, equipment, start-up capital. How to make a solar battery with your own hands: instructions for self-assembly Metallization on the back of the device

If you pay attention to the roofs of many private houses or small companies, you can see solar panels there. The rise in the price of energy carriers leads to the fact that people begin to look for alternative sources. Under these conditions, the demand for solar panels is growing day by day.

Potential Opportunities

In the context of the growing popularity of alternative energy sources, it is advisable to occupy a niche in the market in time. To do this, you first need to purchase equipment for the production of solar panels. It can be bought both in Europe, the USA and the CIS, and in China.

Depending on the demand for these products in your region or in places where you can supply the manufactured goods, you need to decide what your production will be focused on. Currently on the market you can find panels designed for various areas of use.

These can be as light portable options that you take with you on camping trips, stationary modules suitable for installation on the roofs of buildings and residential buildings, or powerful panels that are used as small power plants.

Working lines

If you have a manufacturing facility, then you can think about buying equipment for the production of solar panels. Also, do not forget that when making them, you should always have the necessary consumables in sufficient quantities.

So, the list of necessary equipment includes machines that laser cut the material for panels into squares, sort them, laminate them, insert them into frames and join them together. In addition, production requires machines that knead special glue, cut the film under the panel and their edges. In the manufacture of tables, on which it will be necessary to correct the angles, insert wires into the panels and form them, and trolleys designed to move and press them, one cannot do without tables.

Each solar cell production machine is an indispensable component of the solar cell production line. Therefore, before you start ordering materials for production, calculate the total cost of equipment and analyze whether you can afford such expenses. True, it is worth considering that if there are distribution channels, they quickly pay off.

Manufacturing process

If you have seen solar panels before only in pictures and have a poor idea of how their creation is going on, then it is better to find a person who knows the technology for the production of solar panels. If we talk about it in general terms, then you need to know that it consists of a number of stages.

Production begins with the verification and preparation for work of the materials received by the workshop. After cutting and sorting of photovoltaic converters (PVCs), they go to the equipment, where the process of soldering to the contacts of the panels of special tinned copper bars takes place. Only after this, the process of connecting all solar cells into chains of the required length begins.

The next step is to create a sandwich, which consists of transducers assembled into a matrix, glass, two layers of sealing film and the back side of the panel. It is at this stage that the equipment for the production of solar panels forms the circuit of the module, and its operating voltage is immediately determined.

The assembled structure is checked and sent for lamination - sealing, which takes place under pressure at high temperature. Only after that, a frame is attached to the prepared semi-finished product and a special junction box is mounted.

Product testing

It is almost impossible to meet a marriage among similar products on the market, because after assembly each panel goes to a special testing workshop.

It is there that they are checked for the possibility of voltage breakdown. After that, they are sorted, packed and sent for sale; in stores you can find both small portable options and solar panels for the home.

The production of these species is practically no different.

Of course, only a large manufacturer with large production volumes and a sufficient number of employees can afford to strictly observe all the stages. It is difficult for new small manufacturers to compete with the giants, because the one-time creation of large batches makes it possible to reduce the cost of production.

Solar battery production: business relevance + what are solar panels + advantages of installing solar panels + production technology + necessary raw materials and equipment + organizational moments of starting a business + start-up capital and business profitability + overview of creating a mini-production for the production of solar panels.

Solar battery production is undoubtedly an innovative type of business, especially in Russia. Although in other countries, for example, in Turkey, Spain and Germany, alternative methods of generating electricity are in demand, and therefore the production of such panels for them is no longer a novelty.

Of course, opening such a business in Russia is somewhat risky, since so far people are wary of such innovations. But, given the fact that this business niche is still free from competitors, and solar panels are indeed a very promising way to generate electricity, the launch of such an enterprise can be called a profitable investment.

In this review, we will tell you how to organize the production of such batteries, where it is better to do it, how much you need to invest in order to succeed in this area of entrepreneurial activity.

Is it rational to establish the production of solar panels in Russia?

One can argue for a long time about whether such production will become in demand in the country. After all, on the one hand, this is indeed a very promising direction, which, over time, can completely replace the electricity we are used to.

But, on the other hand, solar panels will be more in demand in sunny regions, since the Sun is the main component of this alternative way of generating electricity.

If we consider the production of solar panels purely as a type of business, then, of course, this area of entrepreneurial activity is very, very profitable.

Several factors contribute to this:

The market for the production of solar panels in Russia is still among the most "empty", which indicates the absence of competitors on the way to building a business.
In any case, oil and gas reserves are not endless, and it is high time for people to think about alternative ways to generate electricity.
It is not only the depletion of fossil fuels that is driving the high demand for solar panels. Also, people are stimulated by high prices for utilities, the costs of which can be significantly reduced by resorting to the use of solar energy.

In addition to these factors, solar panels also have a wide range of applications, so they can be used in a variety of areas.

The most popular directions in this regard are the following:

Charging batteries of various equipment - portable electronics.
Production of electric vehicles.
Providing residential buildings with electricity, which can be used for heating and lighting.

Of course, batteries for the power supply of houses are in the greatest demand, so in this article we will consider the organization of the production of batteries for these purposes.

In any case, the production of solar panels is a very popular niche, which will become much more popular in Russia in a few years. And try your hand at this business now - the most suitable time due to the fact that until you meet too many competitors on your way.

What are solar panels and how are they produced?

In simple terms, a solar battery is an installation that is capable of converting solar energy into electric current used to power residential buildings.

To understand in general terms what a solar battery looks like and how its mechanism works, it will be enough to look at the figure:

Solar panels are alternative sources of electricity, like water and wind installations, which were used by our ancestors in order to obtain electricity.

Today, it is these batteries that are considered the most economical way to provide electricity to residential buildings, since their installation and installation are not as expensive as other devices, and besides, you can not immediately use the generated electricity.

Since the battery transforms the energy of the Sun "in excess", modern technologies make it possible to store it in special batteries and use it at a time when solar activity is minimal, that is, in the evening or at night.

In order to install a solar battery and receive energy, it is not even necessary to live in the sunniest place in the country. New developments make it possible to use the installations even in those climatic zones where there is much less sun.

And solar panels themselves, as a source of electricity, have a lot of advantages, the main of which are the following:

Solar energy is the safest and cleanest energy.
You can install a solar battery and. On average, installing a battery will cost up to 50 thousand rubles. Moreover, this includes not only the initial set itself, but also the installation of the battery.
In order to install the device, you do not need to change anything in existing engineering networks, because such installations are easily mounted in existing networks.
Solar panels have a very long service life and do not need constant quality control or repair.
Batteries can be mounted on almost any building, which means that this method of generating energy is suitable for both large cities and small towns.

In short, solar panels are a really working option that will not only help you get clean energy, but will also significantly reduce your utility bills.

The only thing worth paying attention to is the direct scope of solar panels.

The fact is that many people confuse the concept of solar panels and collectors, the purpose of which is completely different. If solar panels are a device for generating electricity, then a collector is the receipt of thermal energy from the Sun, which is directed to other needs, such as, say, heating and water heating.

Collectors have a slightly different look and principle of operation, so these two terms should not be confused.

Since we have dealt with the very concept of solar panels, we can go directly to the process of their production.

And here it is important to immediately note that for the future businessman there are two main ways in which he can develop this business:

The first method consists in a full production cycle, that is, “from A to Z” - from the manufacture of components to their assembly into full-fledged batteries.
The second method involves the purchase of finished materials and the installation of batteries from them.

Each of the methods has the right to exist, as well as its pros and cons.

For example, by producing all the batteries yourself, including their components, you can be sure of the quality of the final product. Also due to this, you can significantly reduce the cost of each battery. But the organization of such production will require significant investments, which is the main disadvantage of this method.

As for the second option, it will cost you less, but the cost of production due to purchased materials will be much higher.

In order to analyze both options in detail, we will first look at the entire production cycle, as well as how it is organized to launch a business.

At the end, we will also give an example of organizing a mini-production, when all the spare parts have already been purchased, and you only need to learn how to assemble, assemble and sell them.

Solar Cell Manufacturing Technology: A Step-by-Step Guide

To solar panels, first you need to figure out what the technology of their manufacture looks like, and what stages you will have to face.

So, in order to produce a finished solar battery from the purchased raw materials, it will be necessary to carry out the following actions:

Cut silicon wafers and clean them for further processing.
Etch the surface of silicon wafers and structure it.
Apply phosphorus to the plate and then burn it out.
Metallize the surface.
Dry silicon wafers.
Connect electrical contacts on the front side of the plate.
Align the plates.
Frame the plates with aluminum frames.
Test the finished installation.

As a result, we get a solar battery that looks like this:

What is needed to organize production: what raw materials and equipment should be purchased?

In view of the fact that we are analyzing the production of solar panels from scratch, it is worth noting right away that a lot of things will be needed to start a business: both raw materials and equipment.

In addition, it is important to consider that the production of such batteries is a very science-intensive process, so it is better to look for and purchase the necessary components, first consulting with an intelligent physicist or electromechanic, who will eventually help to establish the production process.

By the way, finding a suitable specialist, as well as all the necessary materials, will not be so easy, since such production has not yet been established in Russia. It is better to look for all the necessary elements and even specialists abroad.

On average, buying only raw materials will cost you about 100 thousand rubles, but buying only raw materials, of course, is not enough. We also need equipment that will make it possible to manufacture batteries.

Since we are talking about a large-scale enterprise with a full production cycle, it implies the purchase of an automated line for the creation of batteries, which will ensure the manufacture of the highest quality products.

The entire production line will consist of a sufficiently large number of machines, which are much more rational to buy from one supplier.

And there are a number of reasons for this:

Firstly, when buying the entire range of components, you can get a certain percentage of the discount.
Secondly, often such equipment suppliers will not only sell it to you, but also help with installation and further operation.

And remember that the production of solar panels in Russia has not yet been established at all, so you will most likely have to buy equipment abroad.

The cost of the production line will differ depending on the country of manufacture, and can range from 500 thousand rubles. up to 10 million rubles

Equipment	purpose	Cost, rub.)	Sample
Total:			1 348 000 rubles
Cutting Laser Machine	For cutting cells of various sizes with a fiber laser	From 190 thousand
laminator	For laminating solar modules with organic material for environmental protection	From 650 thousand
framing machine	For gluing tape edges and framing solar modules	From 315 thousand
Glass cleaning machine	For cleaning and drying glass	From 126 thousand
Table for moving elements	To move batteries using aluminum rails	From 12 thousand
High voltage test machine	To test the module for suitability	From 55 thousand

In the final count, if we take average equipment prices as an example, its minimum set will cost you 1.3 million rubles.

But, in addition to the production line, you will also need to purchase hand tools and equipment (batteries, inverters) for mounting batteries. As a result, the total cost of equipment will be about 1.5 million rubles.

In addition to the cost of equipment and the purchase of raw materials, you will have other expenses for various organizational issues, which we will discuss in more detail later.

Search for premises, recruitment and other subtleties of organizing a business for the production of solar panels

Any business in the field of production certainly begins not with the purchase of the necessary equipment, but with the compilation and legalization of its activities, in other words, registration.

You also need to find a suitable room and hire staff, which is also important, so we will consider each of the moments of the organization in as much detail as possible.

1. Registration of an enterprise.

If you are planning to start a business in the field of production, while it is planned to produce solar panels from scratch, then either an LLC is more suitable for registering you as an entrepreneur.

To proceed with the registration procedure, you will need to collect a certain list of documents and submit it to the Federal Tax Service at the place of business registration.

This list will include:

Application form P11001.
The decision of the founder to create an enterprise (if there is one founder) or the minutes of the meeting of participants (if there are several founders).
LLC Charter.

Before you submit the documents, you will be required to pay the amount of the state fee, which today is 4 thousand rubles. The receipt of its payment is included in the liver of mandatory documents.

But not only the payment of the receipt will have to be spent when registering a business.

You will have other expenses:

Opening a bank account - 2 thousand rubles.
Making a seal - 1 thousand rubles.
Payment of the authorized capital - 10 thousand rubles.
Payment for notary services - 1 thousand rubles.

In total, about 15-18 thousand rubles will have to be spent for the legal registration of entrepreneurial activity.

Also, do not forget about the obligatory receipt of permits from the fire and sanitary and epidemiological service after passing the registration procedure.

And one more important detail - when filling out the application, you will need to indicate the code of your OKVED activity. In this case, it is at number 27.20.3.

2. Search and equipping of premises for production.

Since a full cycle of battery production is planned, the selected room should be sufficient to accommodate all the necessary equipment, as well as to allocate two small warehouses: for storing components and for preparing ready-made batteries for installation.

On average, the area of the premises must be at least 300 sq.m., otherwise it will be impossible to produce solar panels due to lack of space.

Having chosen a suitable room, you need to take care of its repair, which is very important in a situation of such production, because we are talking about creating very accurate and fragile parts.

The room must have:

Ventilation system.
Water supply.
Heating.
Power supply.
Installed disinfection plants.

Without all this, neither the fire department nor the sanitary and epidemiological service will give you the necessary permits to start production.

3. Selection of employees and organization of delivery and installation.

Due to the fact that almost the entire process of manufacturing solar panels will be automated, you will need to hire a small staff.

The total number of employees will be about 6-8 people, of which you will need to hire:

1 specialist in physicist-electromechanics.
2 shop workers.
2 workers for assembly.
1 driver.
1 sales manager.
1 marketer.

At first, you can perform the duties of a director and accountant on your own, this will allow you to control production more and understand the essence of your own business.

The most difficult thing in this situation will be to find a good specialist and shop workers, because due to the fact that the production of solar panels in Russia is not yet very developed, there are few such specialists in the country.

As for the transportation and installation of batteries, it is best to hire a driver for this work already with your car, or purchase at least one truck.

4. Marketing and search for distribution channels for finished products.

At first, it is very important to have at least one marketer on your staff who will help with advertising and promotion of solar panels in the region of production.

Since solar panels are a necessary, but not yet very familiar product for people, you need to constantly tell and show that having solar panels on your roof is much more profitable than paying large sums for utilities.

print flyers,
let's advertise
create a website that will be filled with useful information, and which will demonstrate examples of already completed solar panels with their subsequent installation.

You can cooperate with both large enterprises and individuals. It all depends on how much your products are in demand in the region.

How much start-up capital will be required to start the production of solar panels, and when will the business start to make a profit?

Item of expenses	Amount (rub.)
Total:	2 277 000 rubles
1. Registration of entrepreneurial activity.	17 thousand
2. Rent of premises (taking into account the lease for some time in advance).	350 thousand
3. Purchase of raw materials and components.	100 thousand
4. Purchase of equipment.	1 500 thousand
5. Remuneration of workers.	250 thousand
6. Funding the marketing plan.	45 thousand
7. Current expenses.	15 thousand

It turns out that to launch an enterprise for the production of solar panels in Russia, an impressive amount will be needed, which exceeds 2 million rubles.

But do not think that such investments will pay off for too long. On average, such production can begin to make a profit after 1.5 - 2 years.

It turns out that for each installed battery you will receive a net profit. about 10-15 thousand rubles. And taking into account the fact that you will produce and install from 5 to 10 such batteries per month, your net monthly profit will be from 75 thousand rubles.

The profitability of a business with the right organization will be at least 100%.

But, in any case, 2 million rubles. This is a lot of money, which not everyone can afford to invest. Is it possible to open a similar production, but at a lower cost?

Production of solar panels. How it works?

Installation diagram. Advantages and disadvantages.

Mini-production of solar panels: advantages, disadvantages and method of organization

Mini-production for the manufacture of solar panels, first of all, involves such an organization of the enterprise, in which ready-made components for batteries will be purchased. Of these, you, as an entrepreneur, will only have to establish the process of assembly, transportation and installation.

This method is much more economical than the production option from scratch, since in this case you do not have to spend money on raw materials, equipment, numerous staff and registration of a legal entity.

But the cost of panels with this method will increase significantly, since buying ready-made components is more expensive than producing them yourself.

As a result, we can say that this method will be most appropriate in two cases:

When you do not have enough start-up capital to start a large-scale production.
When there are absolutely no competitors in your area who are ready to offer batteries at a price much lower than yours.

Having decided on the advantages and disadvantages, we turn to the main question - how to organize a mini-production?

So, to start such a small business, you do not need to register an LLC in the first place. In this case, registration of IP will be sufficient.

Registering an individual entrepreneur is much easier and costs much less, which will also save a lot of money.

To apply for registration with the IFTS, only basic documents are required:

IP registration application.
Passport of a citizen of Russia.
TIN code.
Receipt for payment of state duty.
Application for the transition to a simplified taxation system.

The cost of the state duty for such an operation is 800 rubles. But in addition to this amount, you will also have to pay for opening a bank account (2 thousand rubles) and making a seal (up to 1 thousand rubles)

In total, state registration will cost you only 3-4 thousand rubles.

Now let's talk about the premises, the purchase of components and equipment for mini-production.

You don’t need a large space to launch an enterprise - it’s enough to rent an area of 100 square meters. m., on which you will allocate a room for battery assembly, a warehouse of components, and also organize a small exhibition hall for visitors.

In principle, with a small volume of orders, even your own spacious garage may suit you. But at the same time, do not forget that the requirements for the premises will also be high, because you still have high-precision work to do.

It is better to order components for the production of batteries abroad from direct suppliers. Although you can search on the territory of Russia. The main thing is that the quality of materials is at a high level, and at the same time they do not cost sky-high money.

As for the equipment, automated lines with this method of organizing production will not be needed. Actually, because of this, large areas will not be needed.

As the main equipment, only simple tools are required:

Equipment	Quantity	Cost, rub.)	Sample
Total:			52 000 rubles
Drill	2	10 thousand
screwdriver	2	6 thousand
Set of tools	2	10 thousand

Since there is less work to be done than with a full production cycle, and it is easier to manage such a mini-enterprise, only 3-5 people can be hired as a permanent staff.

Namely, we are talking about such personnel:

2 people will carry out the assembly of the goods.
2 people will install batteries.
1 person will be a driver (preferably with your own car).

At first, you can hire only three workers, and then get a couple more people.

With a small production, you can perform the functions of a manager, accountant and marketer on your own.

At the same time, the marketing plan will remain the same. Your main consumer is a private person, so you need to constantly inform him about your product by creating a website and placing advertisements in newspapers, on TV and radio.

Now let's calculate how much cheaper this mini-production method will cost:

IP registration - 3 thousand rubles.
Premises rental - 100 thousand rubles.
Purchase of components - 50 thousand rubles.
Purchase of equipment - 52 thousand rubles.
Salary to employees - 75 thousand rubles.
Website development and other marketing services - 55 thousand rubles.
Line expenses - 25 thousand rubles.

In total, the initial investment for launching a small enterprise will amount to 360 thousand rubles. , which is a much smaller amount compared to setting up production facilities from scratch.

Considering that the selling price and cost of batteries will increase slightly with this method, the net profit may be somewhat lower. But due to much smaller investments and with a constant flow of customers (at least 5 people per month), you will be able to recoup your enterprise after a year of work on the market.

So, we have analyzed two main ways of organizing a business in the manufacture of installations for generating electricity from solar energy.

In conclusion, we recall that the production of solar panels in Russia is still a completely free niche, occupying which now, you can get a good return in the future, as the demand for alternative methods of generating energy will increase every year.

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Solar panels are a source of energy that can be used to generate electricity or heat for a low-rise building. That's just solar panels have a high cost and are inaccessible to most residents of our country. Do you agree?

Another thing is when a solar battery is made by one's own hands - the costs are significantly reduced, and such a design works no worse than an industrial production panel. Therefore, if you are seriously thinking about purchasing an alternative source of electricity, try to make it yourself - it's not very difficult.

The article will focus on the manufacture of solar panels. We will tell you what materials and tools will be required for this. And a little lower you will find step-by-step instructions with illustrations that clearly demonstrate the progress of work.

The energy of the sun can be converted into thermal energy, when the energy carrier is a heat-transfer fluid, or into electrical energy collected in batteries. The battery is a generator operating on the principle of the photoelectric effect.

The conversion of solar energy into electricity occurs after the sun's rays hit the photocell plates, which are the main part of the battery.

At the same time, light quanta “release” their electrons from extreme orbits. These free electrons give an electric current that passes through the controller and accumulates in the battery, and from there it goes to energy consumers.

Image gallery

Silicon elements act as photocell plates. A silicon wafer on one side is covered with a very thin layer of phosphorus or boron - a passive chemical element.

In this place, under the action of sunlight, a large number of electrons are released, which are held by a phosphor film and do not scatter.

There are metal “tracks” on the surface of the plate, on which free electrons line up, forming an ordered motion, i.e. electricity.

The more such silicon wafers-photocells, the more electric current can be obtained. Read more about the principle of operation of a solar battery.

Materials for creating a solar plate

When starting to build a solar battery, you need to stock up on the following materials:

silicate plates-photocells;
chipboard sheets, aluminum corners and slats;
hard foam rubber 1.5-2.5 cm thick;
a transparent element that acts as a base for silicon wafers;
screws, self-tapping screws;
silicone sealant for outdoor use;
electrical wires, diodes, terminals.

The amount of materials required depends on the size of your battery, which is most often limited by the number of solar cells available. Of the tools you will need: a screwdriver or a set of screwdrivers, a hacksaw for metal and wood, a soldering iron. To test the finished battery, you need an ammeter tester.

Now consider the most important materials in more detail.

Silicon wafers or solar cells

Photocells for batteries are of three types:

polycrystalline;
monocrystalline;
amorphous.

Polycrystalline plates are characterized by low efficiency. The size of the useful action is about 10 - 12%, but this figure does not decrease over time. The life of polycrystals is 10 years.

Frame and transparent element

The frame for the future panel can be made of wooden slats or aluminum corners.

The second option is preferable for a number of reasons:

Aluminum is a light metal that does not give a serious load on the supporting structure on which the battery is planned to be installed.
When carrying out anti-corrosion treatment, aluminum is not affected by rust.
Does not absorb moisture from the environment, does not rot.

When choosing a transparent element, it is necessary to pay attention to parameters such as the refractive index of sunlight and the ability to absorb infrared radiation.

The efficiency of photocells will directly depend on the first indicator: the lower the refractive index, the higher the efficiency of silicon wafers.

The minimum light reflection coefficient for plexiglass or its cheaper version - plexiglass. The refractive index of polycarbonate is slightly lower.

It depends on the value of the second indicator whether the silicon photocells themselves will heat up or not. The less the plates are exposed to heat, the longer they will last. IR radiation is best absorbed by special heat-absorbing plexiglass and glass with IR absorption. A little worse - ordinary glass.

If possible, the best option would be to use anti-reflective transparent glass as a transparent element.

In terms of the ratio of cost to the refractive indices of light and absorption of infrared radiation, plexiglass is the best option for the manufacture of a solar battery

System design and site selection

The design of the solar system includes calculations of the required size of the solar plate. As mentioned above, battery size is usually limited by expensive photovoltaic cells.

The solar cell must be installed at a certain angle, which would ensure maximum exposure of the silicon wafers to sunlight. The best option is batteries that can change the angle of inclination.

The place of installation of solar plates can be very diverse: on the ground, on a pitched or flat roof of a house, on the roofs of utility rooms.

The only condition is that the battery must be placed on the sunny side of the plot or house, not shaded by the high crown of trees. In this case, the optimal angle of inclination must be calculated by the formula or using a specialized calculator.

The angle of inclination will depend on the location of the house, season and climate. It is desirable that the battery has the ability to change the angle of inclination following the seasonal changes in the height of the sun, because. they work most effectively when the sun's rays fall strictly perpendicular to the surface.

The solar battery can be used as a backup energy source in case of frequent shutdown of the centralized power supply. For automatic switching, it is necessary to provide an uninterruptible power supply system.

Such a system is convenient in that when using a traditional source of electricity, charging is carried out simultaneously. The equipment serving the solar battery is located inside the house, so it is necessary to provide a special room for it.

At the bottom of the box-case, ventilation holes are made from chipboard. The distance between the holes is approximately 10 cm. A transparent element (plexiglass, anti-reflective glass, plexiglass) is installed in the aluminum frame.

The transparent element is pressed and fixed, its fastening is carried out with the help of hardware: 4 in the corners, as well as 2 from the long and 1 from the short side of the frame. Hardware is fastened with screws.

The frame for the solar battery is ready and you can proceed to the most important part - the installation of photocells. Before installation, it is necessary to clean the plexiglass from dust and degrease it with an alcohol-containing liquid.

Step # 3 - mounting silicon wafers-photocells

Mounting and soldering silicon wafers is the most time-consuming part of creating a solar panel with your own hands. First, we lay out the photocells on the plexiglass with the blue plates down.

If this is your first time assembling a battery, you can use a marking pad to place the plates evenly at a small (3-5 mm) distance from each other.

We solder photocells according to the following wiring diagram: “+” tracks are located on the front side of the plate, “-” - on the back. Before soldering, gently apply flux and solder to connect the pins.
We solder all photocells sequentially in rows from top to bottom. The rows should then also be connected to each other.
Let's start gluing photocells. To do this, apply a small amount of sealant to the center of each silicon wafer.
We turn the resulting chains with photocells face up (where the blue plates are) up and place the plates according to the markings that were applied earlier. Gently press down on each plate to lock it in place.
We output the contacts of the extreme photocells to the bus, respectively “+” and “-“. It is recommended to use a wider silver conductor for the busbar.
The solar cell must be equipped with a blocking diode, which is connected to the contacts and prevents the batteries from discharging through the structure at night.
We drill holes in the bottom of the frame to bring the wires out.

The wires must be attached to the frame so that they do not hang out, this can be done using silicone sealant.

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Step #4 - Battery Testing Before Sealing

Testing of the solar panel should be done before it is sealed in order to be able to eliminate the problems that often occur during soldering. It is best to test after soldering each row of elements - it is much easier to find where the contacts are connected badly.

For testing, you need a regular household ammeter. Measurements must be carried out on a sunny day at 13-14 hours, the sun should not be hidden by clouds.

We take the battery out into the street and install it in accordance with the previously calculated angle of inclination. We connect the ammeter to the battery contacts and measure the short circuit current.

The meaning of testing is that the working strength of the electric current should be 0.5-1.0 A lower than the short circuit current. The readings of the device should be higher than 4.5 A, which indicates the efficiency of the solar battery.

If the tester gives lower readings, then somewhere the sequence of connecting the photocells is probably broken.

Step # 5 - sealing the photocells laid in the housing

Sealing can be done only after making sure that the battery is working. For sealing, it is best to use an epoxy compound, but considering that the material consumption will be large, and its cost is about $ 40-45. If it's a little expensive, then the same silicone sealant can be used instead.

When using a silicone sealant, choose one that says on the packaging that it is suitable for use in sub-zero temperatures.

There are two ways to seal:

full fill, when the panels are filled with sealant;
applying sealant to the space between the photocells and to the outermost elements.

In the first case, sealing will be more reliable. After pouring, the sealant should seize. Then plexiglass is installed on top and pressed tightly against the plates coated with silicone.

To provide shock absorption and additional protection between the back surface of the photocells and the chipboard frame, many craftsmen advise installing a hard foam gasket 1.5-2.5 cm wide.

This is optional, but desirable, given that silicon wafers are quite fragile and easily damaged.

After installing the plexiglass, a load is placed on the structure, under the action of which air bubbles are squeezed out. The solar battery is ready and after repeated testing it can be installed in a pre-selected place and connected to the solar system of your home.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Overview of solar cells ordered from a Chinese online store:

Video instruction for making a solar battery:

Making a solar panel with your own hands is not an easy task. The efficiency of most of these batteries is lower than that of industrial panels by 10-20%. The most important thing when designing a solar battery is to choose and install the photocells correctly.

Don't try to create a huge panel right away. Try to build a small device first to understand all the nuances of this process.

Do you have practical skills in building solar panels? Please share your experience with the visitors of our site - write comments in the block below. There you can also ask questions about the topic of the article.

For more than a decade, humanity has been looking for alternative energy sources that can at least partially replace the existing ones. And the most promising of all today are two: wind and solar energy.

True, neither one nor the other can provide continuous production. This is due to the inconsistency of the wind rose and daily-weather-seasonal fluctuations in the intensity of the solar flux.

Today's energy industry offers three main methods for generating electrical energy, but all of them are harmful to the environment in one way or another:

Fuel power industry- the most environmentally polluted, accompanied by significant emissions of carbon dioxide, soot and useless heat into the atmosphere, causing a reduction in the ozone layer. The extraction of fuel resources for it also causes significant harm to nature.
hydropower is associated with very significant landscape changes, flooding of useful lands, causing damage to fish resources.
Nuclear power- the most environmentally friendly of the three, but requires a very significant cost to maintain security. Any accident can be associated with irreparable long-term damage to nature. In addition, it requires special measures for the disposal of used fuel waste.

Strictly speaking, there are several ways to get electricity from solar radiation, but most of them use its intermediate conversion into mechanical, rotating the generator shaft, and only then into electricity.

Such power plants exist, they use Stirling external combustion engines, they have a good efficiency, but they also have a significant drawback: in order to collect as much solar energy as possible, it is necessary to manufacture huge parabolic mirrors with systems for tracking the position of the sun.

I must say that there are solutions to improve the situation, but they are all quite expensive.

There are methods that enable the direct conversion of light energy into electric current. And although the phenomenon of the photoelectric effect in the semiconductor selenium was discovered already in 1876, but only in 1953, with the invention of the silicon photocell, did it become possible to create solar panels to generate electricity.

At this time, a theory was already emerging that made it possible to explain the properties of semiconductors and create a practical technology for their industrial production. To date, this has resulted in a real semiconductor revolution.

The operation of a solar battery is based on the phenomenon of the photoelectric effect of a semiconductor p-n junction, which is essentially a conventional silicon diode. At its conclusions, when illuminated, a photo-emf of 0.5 ~ 0.55 V appears.

When using electric generators and batteries, it is necessary to take into account the differences that exist between. By connecting a three-phase electric motor to the appropriate network, you can triple its output power.

Following certain recommendations, with minimal resource and time costs, it is possible to manufacture the power part of a high-frequency pulse converter for domestic needs. You can study the structural and schematic diagrams of such power supplies.

Structurally, each element of the solar battery is made in the form of a silicon wafer with an area of several cm 2, on which a plurality of such photodiodes connected in a single circuit is formed. Each such plate is a separate module, which gives a certain voltage and current under sunlight.

By connecting such modules in a battery and combining them in parallel-series connection, a wide range of output power values can be obtained.

The main disadvantages of solar panels:

Great unevenness and irregularity of energy output, depending on the weather, and the seasonal height of the sun.
Limiting the power of the entire battery if at least one part of it is shaded.
Dependence on the direction of the sun at different times of the day. For the most efficient use of the battery, you need to ensure its constant orientation to the sun.
In connection with the above, the need for energy storage. The greatest energy consumption occurs at a time when its production is minimal.
Large area required for sufficient capacity construction.
The fragility of the battery design, the need for constant cleaning of its surface from dirt, snow, etc.
Solar modules work most efficiently at 25°C. During operation, they are heated by the sun to a much higher temperature, which greatly reduces their efficiency. To keep the efficiency at an optimal level, it is necessary to provide cooling of the battery.

It should be noted that the development of solar cells using the latest materials and technologies is constantly appearing. This allows you to gradually eliminate the disadvantages inherent in solar panels or reduce their impact. So, the efficiency of the latest cells using organic and polymer modules already reaches 35% and there are expectations of reaching 90%, and this makes it possible to get much more power with the same battery size, or, while maintaining energy efficiency, significantly reduce the size of the battery.

By the way, the average efficiency of a car engine does not exceed 35%, which allows us to talk about a fairly serious efficiency of solar panels.

There are developments of elements based on nanotechnology that work equally effectively at different angles of incident light, which eliminates the need for their positioning.

Thus, already today we can talk about the advantages of solar panels compared to other energy sources:

No mechanical energy conversions and no moving parts.
Minimum operating costs.
Durability 30~50 years.
Quiet operation, no harmful emissions. Environmental friendliness.
Mobility. The battery for powering the laptop and charging the battery for the LED flashlight will fit in a small backpack.
Independence from the presence of constant current sources. The ability to recharge the batteries of modern gadgets in the field.
Undemanding to external factors. Solar cells can be placed anywhere, on any landscape, as long as they are sufficiently illuminated by sunlight.

In the equatorial regions of the Earth, the average solar energy flux is 1.9 kW / m 2 on average. In central Russia, it is in the range of 0.7 ~ 1.0 kW / m 2. The efficiency of a classic silicon photocell does not exceed 13%.

As experimental data show, if a rectangular plate is directed with its plane to the south, to the point of solar maximum, then in a 12-hour sunny day it will receive no more than 42% of the total luminous flux due to a change in its angle of incidence.

This means that with an average solar flux of 1 kW / m 2, 13% of the battery efficiency and its total efficiency of 42% can be obtained in 12 hours no more than 1000 x 12 x 0.13 x 0.42 = 622.2 Wh, or 0 .6 kWh per day from 1 m 2. This is subject to a full sunny day, in cloudy weather it is much less, and in the winter months this value must be divided by another 3.

Taking into account the losses for voltage conversion, the automation circuit that provides the optimal charging current of the batteries and protects them from overcharging, and other elements, can be taken as a basis for the figure of 0.5 kWh / m 2. With this energy, it is possible to maintain a battery charge current of 3 A at a voltage of 13.8 V for 12 hours.

That is, to charge a completely discharged car battery with a capacity of 60 Ah, a solar panel of 2 m 2 is required, and for 50 Ah - about 1.5 m 2.

In order to get such power, you can purchase ready-made panels that are produced in the range of electrical powers of 10 ~ 300 W. For example, one 100 W panel for a 12-hour daylight hours, taking into account a coefficient of 42%, will just provide 0.5 kWh.

Such a Chinese-made panel made of monocrystalline silicon with very good characteristics is now on the market for about 6400 rubles. Less effective in the open sun, but having a better return in cloudy weather, polycrystalline - 5000 r.

If you have certain skills in the installation and soldering of electronic equipment, you can try to assemble a similar solar battery yourself. At the same time, you should not count on a very large gain in price, in addition, the finished panels have factory quality of both the elements themselves and their assembly.

But the sale of such panels is far from being organized everywhere, and their transportation requires very harsh conditions and will be quite expensive. In addition, with self-manufacturing, it becomes possible, starting small, to gradually add modules and increase output power.

Selection of materials for creating a panel

In Chinese online stores, as well as on eBay, the widest selection of elements for self-manufacturing solar panels with any parameters is offered.

Even in the recent past, do-it-yourselfers purchased plates that were rejected during production, having chips or other defects, but much cheaper. They are fully functional, but have a slightly reduced return on power. Given the constant decline in prices, now it is hardly advisable. After all, losing an average of 10% of power, we lose in the effective area of the panel. Yes, and the appearance of the battery, consisting of plates with broken pieces, looks quite handicraft.

You can also purchase such modules in Russian online stores, for example, molotok.ru offers polycrystalline elements with operating parameters at a luminous flux of 1.0 kW/m2:

Voltage: idle - 0.55 V, working - 0.5 V.
Current: short circuit - 1.5 A, working - 1.2 A.
Working power - 0.62 W.
Dimensions - 52x77 mm.
Price 29 p.

Tip: It should be borne in mind that the elements are very fragile and some of them may be damaged during transportation, so when ordering, you should provide some margin for their quantity.

Making a solar battery for your home with your own hands

To make a solar panel, we need a suitable frame, which you can make yourself or pick up a ready-made one. Of the materials for it, it is best to use duralumin, it is not subject to corrosion, is not afraid of dampness, and is durable. With appropriate processing and painting, both steel and even wood are suitable for protection from atmospheric precipitation.

Tip: Do not make the panel very large: it will be inconvenient in the installation of elements, installation and maintenance. In addition, small panels have low windage, they can be more conveniently placed at the required angles.

We calculate components

Decide on the size of our frame. To charge a 12-volt acid battery, an operating voltage of at least 13.8 V is required. Let's take 15 V as a basis. To do this, we will have to connect 15 V / 0.5 V = 30 cells in series.

Tip: The output of the solar panel should be connected to the battery through a protective diode to avoid its self-discharge at night through the solar cells. So the output of our panel will be: 15 V - 0.7 V = 14.3 V.

To get a charging current of 3.6 A, we need to connect three such chains in parallel, or 30 x 3 = 90 elements. It will cost us 90 x 29 rubles. = 2610 rubles.

Tip: Solar panel elements are connected in parallel-series. It is necessary to observe the equality of the number of elements in each consecutive chain.

With this current, we can provide a standard charge mode for a fully discharged battery with a capacity of 3.6 x 10 = 36 Ah.

In reality, this figure will be less due to uneven sunlight during the day. Thus, to charge a standard 60 Ah car battery, we will need to connect two such panels in parallel.

This panel can provide us with an electrical power of 90 x 0.62 W ≈ 56 W.

Or during a 12-hour sunny day with a 42% correction factor 56 x 12 x 0.42 ≈ 0.28 kWh.

Let's place our elements in 6 rows of 15 pieces. To install all the elements, we need a surface:

Length - 15 x 52 = 780 mm.
Width - 77 x 6 = 462 mm.

For the free placement of all plates, we will take the dimensions of our frame: 900 × 500 mm.

Tip: If there are ready-made frames with other dimensions, you can recalculate the number of elements in accordance with the outlines above, select elements of other sizes, try to place them by combining the length and width of the rows.

We will also need:

Soldering iron electric 40 W.
Solder, rosin.
Mounting wire.
Silicone sealant.
Double sided tape.

Manufacturing steps

To install the panel, it is necessary to prepare a flat workplace of sufficient area with a convenient approach from all sides. It is better to place the element plates themselves separately to the side, where they will be protected from accidental bumps and falls. Take them carefully, one at a time.

Residual current devices increase the safety of your home electrical circuit by reducing the risk of electrical shock and fire. A detailed acquaintance with the characteristic features of different types of differential current switches will tell you for an apartment and a house.

During the operation of the electric meter, situations arise when it needs to be replaced and reconnected - you can read about this.

Usually, for the manufacture of a panel, the method of gluing pre-soldered plates of elements into a single chain onto a flat base-substrate is used. We offer another option:

We insert it into the frame, fix it well and seal the glass or a piece of plexiglass around the edges.
We lay out on it in the appropriate order, gluing them with double-sided tape, the plates of the elements: the working side to the glass, the soldering leads to the back side of the frame.
Putting the frame on the table with the glass down, we can conveniently solder the leads of the elements. We carry out electrical installation in accordance with the selected circuit diagram.
We finally glue the plates on the back side with adhesive tape.
We put some kind of damping pad: sheet rubber, cardboard, fiberboard, etc.
We insert the back wall into the frame and seal it.

If desired, instead of the back wall, you can fill the frame at the back with some kind of compound, for example, epoxy. True, this will already exclude the possibility of disassembling and repairing the panel.

Of course, one 50 W battery is not enough to power even a small house. But with its help it is already possible to implement lighting in it using modern LED lamps.

For a comfortable existence of a city dweller, at least 4 kWh of electricity is now required per day. For a family, according to the number of its members.

Therefore, the solar panel of a private house for a family of three should provide 12 kWh. If it is supposed to supply the house only from solar energy, we will need a solar battery with an area of at least 12 kWh / 0.6 kWh / m 2 = 20 m 2.

This energy must be stored in batteries with a capacity of 12 kWh / 12 V = 1000 Ah, or approximately 16 batteries of 60 Ah.

A charge controller is required for normal operation of the battery with a solar panel and its protection.

To convert 12V DC to 220V AC, you will need an inverter. Although now the market already has a sufficient number of electrical equipment for voltages of 12 or 24 V.

Tip: In low-voltage power networks, currents are much higher, so for wiring to powerful equipment, you should choose a wire of the appropriate size. Wiring for networks with an inverter is carried out according to the usual 220 V scheme.

Drawing conclusions

Under the condition of accumulation and rational use of energy, even today non-traditional types of electric power industry are beginning to create a solid increase in the total volume of its generation. It can even be argued that they are gradually becoming traditional.

Taking into account the recently significantly reduced level of energy consumption of modern household appliances, the use of energy-saving lighting devices and the significantly increased efficiency of solar panels of new technologies, we can say that even now they are able to provide electricity to a small private house in southern countries with a large number of sunny days a year.

In Russia, they may well be used as backup or additional sources of energy in combined power supply systems, and if their efficiency can be increased to at least 70%, then it will be quite realistic to use them as the main suppliers of electricity.

Video on how to make a device for collecting solar energy yourself

The world is experiencing a constant increase in electricity consumption, and the stocks of traditional energy sources are declining. Therefore, the demand for equipment that generates electricity using non-traditional sources of raw materials is gradually growing. One of the most common ways to generate electricity is solar panels powered by solar energy. They are composed of photovoltaic cells, the properties of which make it possible to convert solar radiation into electric current. For their manufacture, one of the most common chemical elements on Earth is used - silicon. In this article, we will talk about how silicon is converted into photovoltaic cells. Simply put, we will look at what solar cell production is and what equipment is required for this.

In the field of solar panels production, a fairly large market has already formed, in which large companies are present. Millions of dollars are already spinning here and there are brands that have earned a reputation for producing quality products. This refers to both the world market and the Russian one. The technologies underlying the production of solar panels are being improved as scientific research in this direction develops. Now solar panels are produced in various sizes and purposes. There are very small ones used in calculators and. And there are large panels used in solar systems and. One photocell has a small power and produces a very small current. Therefore, they are combined into . Now let's look at how photovoltaic cells are made.

First of all, it is worth saying that at the output, manufacturers receive three types of photocells:

Monocrystalline;
Polycrystalline;
from amorphous silicon.

Monocrystalline solar cell wafers can be visually distinguished by uniformity in color. In their production from the feedstock (silicon), as a result of temperature melting, an ingot of single-crystal silicon is obtained. It has a high degree of purity and uniformity of the crystal lattice.

Polycrystalline cells are easier to manufacture. When creating them, there is no goal to grow an ingot from a single crystal and achieve a high uniformity of the structure. They have a lower cost, but pay for it with lower efficiency. Visually, they can be distinguished by heterogeneous colors.

And another type of solar cells are made of amorphous silicon. To obtain some characteristics, various microelements and nanoparticles are added to it. Production from this type of silicon is mainly focused on the production of flexible solar cells. This type of panel has the lowest efficiency.

As a result of the thermal treatment of silicon, cylindrical bars are obtained. Plates of small thickness are cut from it. As a result of this operation, damage appears on the surface of the plates, which are removed by etching and texturing. This is necessary in order to improve the absorption of light radiation. After such treatment, microscopic pyramids are formed on the surface of silicon wafers, arranged in a chaotic manner. When hit on them, light is reflected on the side surfaces of other such pyramids. Loosening the texture reduces reflectivity by about a quarter. The etching process itself is a series of successive treatments with alkalis and acids. As they say, experts, here you can not overdo it and pickle the excess. The layer is thin and the plate may not be suitable for further use.

The very technology for the production of photovoltaic cells is based on the use of a p-n junction. In the plate of the photocell, hole and electronic conductivity, p and n-type, respectively, are combined. This design has the properties of being a barrier and passing electric current in one direction. This is how solar panels work.

For laying on a silicon wafer of an n-type semiconductor, phosphorus diffusion is used in production. This layer is located near the surface of the plate, extending to a depth of about 0.5 µm. As a result, under the action of sunlight, charge carriers of the opposite sign penetrate to a shallow depth. This is done specifically to ensure that the path to the p-n junction zone is as fast as possible. Otherwise, they can extinguish each other when they meet. In this case, they do not generate electric current, which means they are wasted.

As a result of diffusion, a short circuit occurs between the front surface of the plate with a grating for current pickup and the reverse side, which is a solid contact. Various technologies are used to remove this short circuit. This can be plasma-chemical or chemical etching. And also it can be done by laser or mechanically. With the help of plasma-chemical etching, the short circuit is removed immediately for a stack of silicon wafers. The result of this procedure largely depends on the processing time, chemical composition, surface area of the elements and many other factors.

A texture is then applied to the surface of the plate to reduce reflection. If this is not done, then 10% of the sun's rays will be reflected and will not take part in the generation of electric current. The coating is used for deep penetration of light, which prevents them from reflecting back.

When creating a metallized mesh on the front side of the plates is a difficult task. On the one hand, the minimum optical loss is achieved if the grid lines are thin and located at a significant distance from each other. If the grid is made larger, then part of the charges will not reach the contact and will be wasted. On the other hand, if the mesh strips are too thin, then there will be a lot of space for light absorption.

But thin lines cannot conduct much current. Therefore, the “golden mean” is being sought. There are standardized values for line sizes and distances between them for various metals. Metallization technology is based on screen printing. The most commonly used material is a paste containing silver. Thanks to its use, the efficiency of the plates can be increased up to 15 percent.

Now, let's consider the production of solar panels at the stage of assembling them from the resulting photocells.

Solar battery production

The production of solar panels can be divided into the following main stages:

Testing. At this stage, the electrical characteristics are measured. For this, flashes of powerful xenon lamps are used. Based on the test results, the photocells are sorted and sent to the next stage of production;
At the second stage of production, the soldering of the elements in the section is performed. Sections are formed from them on a glass substrate. The assembled sections are transferred to the glass using vacuum grippers. This is a mandatory requirement to exclude mechanical or other effects on the surface of the plates. Blocks usually include 4-6 sections. Sections, in turn, consist of 9-10 photovoltaic panels;
The next stage of production is lamination. The blocks of photocells connected by soldering are laminated with an ethylene vinyl acetate film. A special protective coating is also applied. All this is done on CNC equipment. The computer monitors such characteristics as pressure, temperature, etc. Depending on the material used, the lamination parameters can be changed;
And the final stage is the manufacture of an aluminum profile frame and a special junction box. To ensure the reliability of the connection, glue-sealant is used. At the same stage of production, testing of solar panels is carried out. In this case, short-circuit currents, output voltage (working and no-load), current strength are measured.

Used equipment

Reputable manufacturers use modern software-controlled equipment in the production of solar panels. This approach ensures the minimum error and variation in the parameters of the assembled solar panels. In addition, computer equipment allows for more accurate and complete testing. The result is fewer scraps and longer battery life.

Let's list the equipment used for production.

Tables for moving assemblies. On these tables, cutting, stacking elements, attaching a junction box, and so on. These tables have non-metal balls on the surface of the tabletop. This makes it easy to move the assemblies and not damage the elements;
Laminator. This equipment is used for lamination and all parameters are configured in a special software for automatic operation. Although manual operation is also possible;
Cell cutting tool. The cutting is done with a fiber laser. Parameters are also set programmatically;
Equipment for cleaning glass substrates. The procedure takes place in several stages. Nylon brushes and detergent are used first. This is followed by a gradual rinse with deionized water. This is followed by drying with hot and cold air.

Major manufacturers of solar panels

The production of solar panels and finished solar systems is a profitable and promising business. The number of purchased batteries is growing from year to year. As a result, there is a constant sales market, which many large manufacturers pay attention to.

First of all, this market is being developed by companies from China. With low cost, they squeeze out all other companies from the market. So, due to Chinese expansion, four medium-sized German companies, as well as one American manufacturer, were forced to curtail production. Work in this direction was closed by Siemens and Bosch. The result is natural, since solar panels made in China cost twice as much as European and American products.

Among the global manufacturers, the following large companies producing solar panels can be named:

Yingli Green Energy. The company annually produces solar panels with a total capacity of 2 gigawatts. They produce batteries from monocrystalline and polycrystalline cells;
First Solar. They were forced to close the plant in Germany, but they are still one of the largest in the world. They produce panels per year with a total capacity of 3.5 gigawatts;
Suntech Power Co. This is a Chinese giant producing 1.8 gigawatts of products. Their production facilities are located in eighty countries around the world.

Solar batteries of Russian production are produced by the following companies:

Hevel LLC (Novocheboksarsk);
Telecom-STV (Zelenograd);
ZAO "Termotron-Zavod";
OJSC "Ryazan Plant of Metal-Ceramic Instruments" (Ryazan).

In the countries of the former USSR, you can also find many industries. For example, in Astana. Moreover, local silicon is used for production. During the construction, modern equipment was installed at the enterprise. A similar enterprise is going to be built in Uzbekistan. Moreover, the construction is also carried out by Chinese manufacturers.
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