Basic Understanding Of How Solar Panels Work

You will learn to compare solar energy to other energy resources and explain how solar panels or photovoltaics pv for short convert sunlight to electricity.

Basic understanding of how solar panels work.

The dc signals are fed into an inverter which converts the dc into grid compatible ac power which is what you use in your home. When electrons flow through such a circuit they generate electricity. For solar cells a thin semiconductor wafer is specially treated to form. First there are panels which collect the sunlight and turn it into electricity.

The solar panel converts sunlight into dc electricity to charge the battery. A solar panel consists of an array of pv aka photovoltaic pv photo light voltaics electricity cells which consist of a positive and a negative wafer of silicon placed under a toughened layer of glass. Solar cells are made of the same kinds of semiconductor materials such as silicon used in the microelectronics industry. Ac energy then flows through the home s electrical panel and is distributed accordingly.

Exposure to light changes silicon s electrical characteristics which generates an electric current. The conductive wire brings the electricity to the inverter where it is transformed from dc electricity to ac which is used to power buildings. When photons hit a solar cell they knock electrons loose from their atoms. Basic steps in solar energy generation and transmission sunlight hits the solar panels and creates an electric field.

A cell is a small square of silicon about 6 x 6 with electrical contact plates on the face. Solar panels work by absorbing sunlight with photovoltaic cells generating direct current dc energy and then converting it to usable alternating current ac energy with the help of inverter technology. Simply put a solar panel works by allowing photons or particles of light to knock electrons free from atoms generating a flow of electricity. The electricity generated flows to the edge of the panel and into a conductive wire.

If conductors are attached to the positive and negative sides of a cell it forms an electrical circuit. What are solar panels made of and how do they work. Solar cells are made primarily from silicon a chemical element with conductive properties. You will be able to identify the key components needed in a basic photovoltaic solar panel system such as is found on a house or building and explain the function of each component in the system.

Solar panels actually comprise many smaller units. How do solar panels work.