Question

A community plans to build a facility to convert solar radiation to electrical power. The community requires 2.80 MW of power, and the system to be installed has an efficiency of 30.0% (that is, 30.0% of the solar energy incident on the surface is converted to useful energy that can power the community). Assuming sunlight has a constant intensity of 1 160 W/m², what must be the effective area of a perfectly absorbing surface used in such an installation?
_________ m²

Answer 1

Given, Electrical power required, P_E = 2.8*10⁶ W

Intensity, I = 1160 W/m²

efficiency, n = 30 % = 0.3

Let the area of the surface be 'A' m²

then solar power will be, P_S = 1160*A W

efficiency is the fraction of solar energy that is converted to electrical energy,i.e,

P_E = n*P_S

putting all the values

2.8*10⁶ = 0.3*1160*A

A = 8045.98 m²