How Do Solar Panels Work

The panel is encased in glass with an anti reflective coating that ensures that the solar panels get the most sun exposure possible.

How do solar panels work.

Alone each cell generates very little power a few watts so they are grouped together as modules or panels. Solar panels actually comprise many smaller units. There are three basic types of solar cells. Solar panels work by letting photons released by the sun knock electrons free from atoms and thus generate a flow of electricity.

Ac energy then flows through the home s electrical panel and is distributed accordingly. A solar panel is made up of numerous photovoltaic cells linked together. How do solar panels work. Single crystal cells are made in long cylinders and sliced into thin wafers.

Solar panels are composed of many smaller photovoltaic cells linked together. When you really break them down a solar panel is nothing more than a big sheet of glass over a metal frame with a patch of wiring that runs to your home s main electrical panel. 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. Photovoltaic cells are sandwiched between layers of semi conducting materials such as silicone.

This flow of electrons is a current and by placing metal contacts on the top and bottom of the pv cell we can draw that current off for external use say to power a calculator. The more panels you deploy the more energy you generate. While this process is energy intensive and uses more materials it produces the highest efficiency cells those able to convert the most incoming sunlight to electricity. Modules are designed to supply electricity at a certain voltage such as a common 12 volts system.

The panels are then either used as separate units or grouped into larger arrays. The current produced is directly dependent on how much light strikes the module. Solar panels are made out of photovoltaic cells which is why generating electricity with solar panels is also called solar pv that convert the sun s energy into electricity. Pv cells also all have one or more electric field that acts to force electrons freed by light absorption to flow in a certain direction.

A number of solar cells electrically connected to each other and mounted in a support structure or frame is called a photovoltaic module.