Photovoltaic Solar Panels How They Work

Think of a string of christmas lights this type is called a string inverter and is the least expensive option.

Photovoltaic solar panels how they work.

It s an idea that has been around for well over a century. The current produced is directly dependent on how much light strikes the module. Lower cost does come with some drawbacks however. Solar panels actually comprise many smaller units.

Solar panels on your roof can be wired together in one more more strings that are connected to a type of inverter that handles the power output from all of them. Researchers soon discovered that this property called the photoelectric effect could be harnessed. The cells are small but when combined together in solar arrays they become very efficient. How do photovoltaic panels work.

Photo voltaic cells use sunlight as a source of energy and generate direct current electricity a collection of pv modules is called a pv panel and a system of panels is an array. In this article we ll take a look at what a photovoltaic solar cell is the technology behind a solar panel that makes it possible to create energy from the sun. You ve probably seen solar panels on rooftops all around your neighborhood but do you know how they actually work to generate electricity. Simply put a solar panel works by allowing photons or particles of light to knock electrons free from atoms generating a flow of electricity.

Basically when light strikes the cell a certain portion of it is absorbed within the semiconductor material. Inverters play a crucial role in any solar energy system and are often considered to be the brains of a project whether it s a 2 kw residential system or a 5 mw utility power plant. An inverter s basic function is to invert the direct current dc output into alternating current ac. This means that the energy of the absorbed light is transferred to the semiconductor.

A number of solar cells electrically connected to each other and mounted in a support structure or frame is called a photovoltaic module. Photovoltaic cells are made of special materials called semiconductors such as silicon which is currently used most commonly. Photovoltaic panels are made up of small photovoltaic cells connected together and made out of semiconducting materials. In 1839 french scientist edmond becquerel discovered that certain materials would give off sparks of electricity when struck with sunlight.

The first photovoltaic pv cells made of selenium were. A pv module is an assembly of photo voltaic cells mounted in a framework for installation. Modules are designed to supply electricity at a certain voltage such as a common 12 volts system. Solar photovoltaic pv panels are based on a high tech but remarkably simple technology that converts sunlight directly to electricity.

The term solar panel is used colloquially for a photo voltaic pv module. Each layer has different electronic properties that energise when hit by photons from sunlight creating an electric field.