Solar photovoltaic how does it work

Solar panels convert the sunlight's photon energy into electricity. Solar Photovoltaic PV cells generate electricity by absorbing sunlight and using that light energy to create an electrical current. There are many PV cells within a single solar panel, and the current created by all of the cells together adds up to enough electricity to help power your school, home and businesses. Similar to the cells in a battery, cells in a solar panel are designed to generate electricity; except a battery's cells make electricity from chemicals and a solar panel's cells generate electricity by capturing sunlight instead.

Sunlight is composed of photons, or particles of radiant solar energy. These photons contain various amounts of energy depending on the wavelength of the solar spectrum. When the photons strike a solar cell , some are absorbed while others are reflected. When the material absorbs sufficient photon energy, electrons within the solar cell material dislodge from their atoms. The electrons migrate to the front surface of the solar cell, which is manufactured to be more receptive to the free electrons.

This flow is known as an energy current, and the strength of the current determines how much electricity each cell can produce.

Once the loose electrons hit metal plates, the current is then directed into wires, allowing the electrons to flow like they would in any other source of electric generation step 2 in our process.

As the solar panel generates an electric current, the energy flows through a series of wires to an inverter see step 3 above. While solar panels generate direct current DC electricity, most electricity consumers need alternating current AC electricity to power their buildings.

After the electricity is transformed into a usable state AC power , it is sent from the inverter to the electrical panel also called a breaker box [step 4], and distributed throughout the building as needed. The electricity is now readily available to power lights, appliances, and other electrical devices with solar energy. Any electricity that is not consumed via the breaker box is sent to the utility grid through the utility meter our last step, as outlined above.

Then, when a photon of sunlight knocks an electron free, the electric field will push that electron out of the silicon junction. A couple of other components of the cell turn these electrons into usable power. Metal conductive plates on the sides of the cell collect the electrons and transfer them to wires. At that point, the electrons can flow like any other source of electricity. Recently, researchers have produced ultrathin, flexible solar cells that are only 1. In fact, the cells are so light that they can sit on top of a soap bubble , and yet they produce energy with about as much efficiency as glass-based solar cells, scientists reported in a study published in in the journal Organic Electronics.

From there, an entire solar panel array must be installed to produce enough energy for a residential house. Read our article about how solar panels work to learn more. Solar photovoltaic cells are the building blocks of solar panels, and any property owner can start generating free electricity from the sun with a solar panel installation.

On the EnergySage Marketplace , you can register your property to start receiving solar installation quotes from qualified installers. While all quotes involve solar panels made from photovoltaic cells, panel output can change based on equipment quality. If you are specifically interested in seeing quotes for high-efficiency solar panels, simply leave a note on your profile to notify installers. Dear Jacob, here in Brasil the goverment wants to remove subsidies to who wants to install solar panel in their homes.

Without the subsidies the investment for acquiring and assembling the plates would become unviable. Your email address will not be published. Enter your zip code to find out what solar panels cost from installers near you.

Solar cells: the building blocks of solar panels A solar panel is made up of six different components , but arguably the most important one is the photovoltaic cell, which actually generates electricity. Solar cells produce energy in three steps A solar PV cell works in three general steps: Light is absorbed and knocks electrons loose Loose electrons flow, creating a current The current is captured and transferred to wires The photovoltaic effect is a complicated process, but these three steps are the basic way that energy from the sun is converted into usable electricity by solar cells in solar panels.

What are the main types of solar cells? Silicon solar cells: monocrystalline and polycrystalline A monocrystalline solar cell is made from a single crystal of the element silicon.

Thin-film solar cells Thin-film solar cells are what they sound like: much slimmer, lighter-weight solar cells that are often flexible, while still remaining durable. Organic solar cells Solar panels made with organic solar cells are not commercially viable quite yet, but organic solar panels have many of the same benefits as thin-film panels.

How do silicon PV cells work? The photovoltaic effect explained Silicon solar cells, through the photovoltaic effect, absorb photons and generate flowing electricity. Step 1: Light is absorbed by the PV cell and knocks electrons loose First, light strikes a photovoltaic cell and the photons are absorbed by the semiconducting material it is made from usually silicon.

Step 3: The electrical current is captured and combined with other solar cells Once an electrical current is generated by loose electrons, metal plates on the sides of each solar cell collect those electrons and transfer them to wires.