Dedicated to a brighter future in an energy-efficient world
Information
Some history
Our parent company is Design Homes Inc formed in 1966. This one of the Midwest’s largest builders of homes. (www.Designhomes.com) A division was formed in 1980 to manufacture spun aluminum satellite receive antennas for commercial use by TV stations, Cable companies and other commercial uses. DH satellite antennas are in use all over the world with about 30 % of our antennas exported. (www.dhsatellite.com) Dh has became the standard for heavy duty antennas and most TV stations use at least one.
As we became aware of the growing market for PV solar panels for generating electricity it became apparent that attaching panels to our horizon to horizon mounting system would be the ideal way to gain the most possible efficiency. The sun follows an arc that changes each day for the changing season. We are aware that other tracking systems seem light duty and use light sensing systems to track the sun. We felt if we could create a controller that moved the panels through the arc of the sun and changed this arc to match the season we would have a good system. Our people developed the controller and we were amazed at the efficiency gained by being pointed at the sun. Also on a day of broken clouds when there is a break we are pointed at the sun.
We have decided to offer three systems. A 1KW tracking sytem, a 2.8 KW tracking system and a 3.2KW system.
Thousands of the mounting system have been sold through out the world and many have been in hurricanes. We are very proud that many of the systems that were in a hurricane survived.
At this time Dh Solar is part of DH Satellite. (dhsolar.net) We expect this to grow to be another very large and successful business.
Photovoltaics
Anyone who has used a modern mathematical calculator can grasp the concept of photovoltaics (PV). It is simply the process of converting energy from the Sun into electricity that can power everything from household appliances and lights to commercial buildings and power plants.
In precisely the same way as the small solar cells on hand-held calculators eliminate the need for batteries, PV can provide the world with a clean, reliable source of electricity and reduce our reliance on ever-depleting fossil fuels.
The PV technology of the 21st century makes it possible. It employs layers of micro-fine crystalline silicon to convert ordinary sunlight into small electrical charges. This process is then multiplied thousands of times to create, smaller than ever before, modules and systems that can generate enough electricity to power entire towns.
It's important to note that PV is different from the solar thermal energy used for heating or in hot water production. A single PV cell consists of two or more thin layers of semi-conducting material, most commonly crystalline silicon. When the silicon is exposed to light, small electrical charges are generated and conducted away by metal contacts as direct current (DC).
Click here to view an animated demonstration.
In order to maximize energy collection and conversion, single cells are connected together and housed in a module. These modules are the building blocks of the PV systems and are, in turn, connected together to generate usable volumes of electricity. In some instances, an inverter is also used to convert high voltage DC into lower voltage AC power.
Types of PV technologies
There are essentially two types of PV technology, crystalline and thin-film. Crystalline can again be broken down into two types:
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Monocrystalline Cells - These are made using cells cut from a single cylindrical crystal of silicon. While monocrystalline cells offer the highest efficiency (approximately 18% conversion of incident sunlight), their complex manufacturing process makes them slightly more expensive.
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Polycrystalline Cells - These are made by cutting micro-fine wafers from ingots of molten and recrystallized silicon. Polycrystalline cells are cheaper to produce, but there is a slight compromise on efficiency (approximately 14% conversion of incident sunlight).
Thin film PV is made by depositing an ultra thin layer of photovoltaic material onto a substrate. The most common type of thin-film PV is made from the material a-Si (amorphous silicon), but numerous other materials such as CIGS (copper indium/gallium diselenide) CIS (copper indium selenide), CdTe (Cadmium Teluride), dye-sensitized cells and organic solar cells are also possible.
Types of PV Systems
PV technology was first applied in space, by providing electricity to satellites. Today, PV systems can be used to power just about anything on Earth. PV systems operate in two basic forms.
Grid Connected PV Systems
These systems are connected to a broader electricity network. During the
day, the solar electricity generated by the system is either used
immediately or sold off to electricity supply companies. In the evening,
when the system is unable to supply immediate power, electricity can be
bought back from the network
A Division of DH Satellite, Inc.
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
800-627-9443
info@dhsolar.net
