Make a Small Solar Panel

Not only is it quite possible to Make a Small Solar Panel, it can be a fun project too. There are lots of sites detailing exactly how to go about it, as well as many e-books and other electronic resources to call on. So, rather than adding yet another set of instructions to an already healthy range, this simple page is intended to give a good overview of the principles involved when you decide to Make A Small Solar Panel. That read, you can then further your efforts by following one of the links shown, or by reading up in one of the books shown opposite.

How Does it Work?
Simply put, a solar panel uses the photovoltaic process whereby light causes an electrical charge to flow in a given material. If you're going to Make a Small Solar Panel, then there are really two routes by which you're going to achieve your photovoltaic reaction. options open to you, unless you're an eccentric millionairre with access to a superconductor manufacturing facility, are as follows:

The half way house approach. Herein you Make a Small Solar Panel by purchasing the constituent parts from a suitable electrical supplier. This isn't the cop out it seems - you can buy pre manufactured photovoltaic cells and / or solar cells from specialist suppliers. The difference between the two is that the photovoltaic cell will convert light from more sources than the sun, the solar cell just being good with actual sunlight. You then assemble the remaining electronic parts required to produce your solar panel of choice. As mentioned above, there are various titles and eBooks available detailing how to go about it. One such example is the eBook "build Your Own Solar Panel" by Phillip Hurley.
While you're probably not going to power your house with the output of these efforts, the next is even less likely to be replacing your relationship with General Electric.

The whole-hog start-to-finish Make a Small SOlar Panel project. This is more the kind of approach you'd take if you were really just wanting to explore how it all works and to be able to say 'I made a solar panel' to your friends and colleagues. Here, the vital difference is that rather than buying in pre-made cells, you kick off by making your own photovoltaic medium. Rather than going for the silicon-based solution, this home-grown approach relies on the semiconducting / superconducting, photovoltaic properties of Copper(I) Oxide / Cuprous Oxide. This is the red oxidised powder. The oxidisation process also produces a black powder oxide, Copper(II) Oxide but that's of no use to us. The very brief overview of why it does what it does is that Copper(I) Oxide has a very dense polariton level. Polaritons are the result of photons mixing with a conductive material at a given wavelength. The energy from this mixing is what gives you your electricity.

So, if you're going to Make a Small Solar Panel, the first step is to produce your Copper(I) Oxide. Simply put, copper is heated. Doing this at home (after taking all relevant safety precautions and reading up on exactly what you're doing), the copper need be nothing more exotic than roofing flashing, albeit very clean roofing flashing. It's heated for a long time in order to make it easier to remove the unwanted Copper(II) Oxide, though most should have flaked off during cooling.

Your solar cell will then consist of this oxidised panel in salty water together with a fresh, non-oxidised copper panel of the same size. The charge produced is tiny, but it's electricity and proof that you know how to Make a Small Solar Panel.

In addition to the resources shown on this page, there is a complete run down on this second approach to be found at

solar panels making the news

SF's Sunworks plans $200M NY solar panel plant - Bizjournals.com
30 Jun 2009 at 10:20pm
WIVBSF's Sunworks plans $200M NY solar panel plantBizjournals.comThe facility would manufacture ready-to-deploy solar panels for commercial, government and utility solar markets. Sunworks Solar considers low-cost ...NY agrees low-cost power for Yahoo, Sunworks buildsReutersSolar energy coming to UB apartmentsUniversity at Buffalo The SpectrumMore Jobs Possible for WNYWGRZ-TVENF - PV Industry In...

Carbondale solar panel theft eyed differently by cops, DA's office - Vail Daily News
4 Jul 2009 at 1:50am
Carbondale solar panel theft eyed differently by cops, DA's officeVail Daily NewsThe solar panels were plucked off the roof of the Carbondale Recreation Center in the early hours of Memorial Day. The panels are among 288 installed on the ...and more »

Solar panels may warm schools - MetroWest Daily News
4 Jul 2009 at 4:01am
Solar panels may warm schoolsMetroWest Daily NewsThe town is considering placing solar panels on the roofs of Mindess and Warren elementary schools to generate some ...and more »

Obama Holds Out Hope that Energy Will Help US Jobs Picture - Wall Street Journal
2 Jul 2009 at 10:04pm
CBS NewsObama Holds Out Hope that Energy Will Help US Jobs PictureWall Street JournalJohn Berger, the chief executive of Standard Renewable Energy, a Houston firm that performs home-energy audits and installs solar panels, told Obama that an ...White House - President Obama to Meet with Business Leaders to ...ISRIAall 14 news articles »

Shasta College faces solar panel intrusion - Capital Press (subscription)
2 Jul 2009 at 6:42pm
Shasta College faces solar panel intrusionCapital Press (subscription)After surviving budget threats and water cutbacks in the spring, the farm at Shasta College in Redding faces a new challenge: Solar panels. ...and more »

Largest solar panel farm in Utah commissioned at Hill Air Force Base - Air Force Link
2 Jul 2009 at 10:22pm
Largest solar panel farm in Utah commissioned at Hill Air Force BaseAir Force Link7/2/2009 - HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) -- The largest photovoltaic array solar panel farm in Utah was commissioned at Hill Air ...and more »