Lesson 1 Quiz
Question: What are the three main technologies used for harvesting energy from
the Sun?
● Answer: The three main technologies are solar heating and cooling (SHC),
concentrated solar power (CSP), and solar photovoltaics
(PV)<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the primary function of solar heating and cooling (SHC)
technology?
● Answer: SHC technology is used to capture thermal energy from the Sun
to heat water or air for residential, commercial, and industrial
use<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the basic principle behind concentrated solar power (CSP)
technology?
● Answer: CSP technology uses mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight
onto a small area to generate heat, which is then used to produce steam
that drives a turbine to generate electricity<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the word "photovoltaic" derived from?
● Answer: The word "photovoltaic" implies the conversion of "photo" (light)
into "volts" (electricity)<c>source</c>.
Question: What are the two main types of solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies?
● Answer: The two main types are crystalline silicon (monocrystalline and
polycrystalline) and thin-film PV<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the efficiency range of single-junction solar PV cells?
● Answer: The efficiency of single-junction solar PV cells ranges from 15 to
28%<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the maximum theoretical efficiency of multi-junction solar cells
under concentrated sunlight?
● Answer: Multi-junction solar cells can achieve a maximum theoretical
efficiency of 68.7% under concentrated sunlight<c>source</c>.
Question: What are the advantages of solar PV technology?
● Answer: Advantages include clean energy, sustainable energy source,
noise-free technology, low maintenance, performance warranty over
operating lifespan, and no geographical requirements<c>source</c>.
Question: What are the challenges associated with solar PV technology?
● Answer: Challenges include high initial and recycling costs, unreliable and
fluctuating energy, the necessity for energy storage, toxicity and disposal
issues, and space occupation<c>source</c>.
Question: What are the potential solutions to the challenges of solar PV
technology?
● Answer: Solutions include commercializing new semiconductor
technologies, integrating energy storage systems, improving
manufacturing processes, and optimizing land use<c>source</c>.
Question: Who discovered the photoelectric effect, and in what year?
● Answer: Alexandre Edmond Becquerel discovered the photoelectric
effect in 1839<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the historical context of solar PV technology in New York City?
● Answer: In 1984, solar PV technology was integrated into various
applications in New York City<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the role of the International Renewable Energy Agency
(IRENA) in solar PV technology?
● Answer: IRENA provides data and insights on the cost and performance of
solar PV technology<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the definition of LCOE (Levelized Cost of Electricity)?
● Answer: LCOE calculates the average net expense per unit of electricity
(usually kWh) over the expected lifetime of a power-generating
plant<c>source</c>.
Question: What are the main types of fossil fuels?
● Answer: The main types of fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural
gas<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the significance of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
(NREL)?
● Answer: NREL conducts research and development in renewable energy
and energy efficiency, providing data and analysis to support the
advancement of solar technologies<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the average daily depth of discharge (DoD) recommended
for lead-acid batteries in solar applications?
● Answer: The average daily DoD is usually kept at 20–30%<c>source</c>.
Question: How does the efficiency of solar PV modules change with
temperature?
● Answer: The efficiency of solar PV modules decreases as temperature
increases, with an average decrease of about 0.4% to 0.5% for each
degree Celsius increase in temperature<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the significance of the nominal operating cell temperature
(NOCT) in solar modules?
● Answer: NOCT is the temperature of open-circuited PV cells subject to 800
W/m² irradiance, 20°C ambient temperature, and wind speed of 1
m/s<c>source</c>.
Question: What are the main types of mounting systems for solar PV modules?
● Answer: Mounting systems include rack-mounted, ground-mounted, and
building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the purpose of bypass diodes in solar modules?
● Answer: Bypass diodes are used to prevent overheating and damage to
cells by allowing current to bypass shaded or malfunctioning
cells<c>source</c>.
Question: What are the key components of a solar PV system?
● Answer: Key components include solar PV modules, inverter, battery (if
applicable), charge controller, and balance of system
components<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the function of an inverter in a solar PV system?
● Answer: An inverter converts the direct current (DC) generated by solar
panels into alternating current (AC) for use in homes and
businesses<c>source</c>.
Question: What are the two main types of solar thermal collectors?
● Answer: The two main types of solar thermal collectors are flat-plate
collectors and concentrating collectors<c>source</c>.
Question: What is the difference between a parabolic trough collector and a
parabolic dish collector in CSP technology?
● Answer: A parabolic trough collector uses a curved mirror to concentrate
sunlight onto a tube containing a heat-transfer fluid, while a parabolic
dish collector uses a parabolic dish to focus sunlight onto a receiver at the
focal point<c>source</c>.
