The quintessential science question! For those of you who have ever seen a solar panel and wondered how it worked, this article is for you. Get ready for it to get a little bit technical, but we think you can handle it.
Solar cells on calculators and houses alike are made from photovoltaic, or PV cells. These convert light into electricity. One “solar panel” is a group of these PV cells connected together in a frame, which can then be grouped into an “array.” This is what you’ll see on the tops of homes.
PV cells are made out of materials like silicon. Basically, when the light hits the panel, some of it is absorbed within this material. This allows the absorbed light to transfer into the semiconductor material – which is the silicon. This energy knocks electrons in the silicon loose, allowing them to flow freely.
The PV cells also have one or more electric fields inside of them, which allow these freed electrons to flow in a specific direction. This flow of electrons is known as a current, and if you place metal contacts at the top and bottom of the cell, this creates a small battery. It is from this flow that the power from solar panels is drawn!
Of course, you can get much deeper into the technical specifics of solar panels, but the good news is that it really doesn’t get too much more complicated. With the basics outlined above, you understand how solar panels work.
Solar panels are a technology that is relatively simple for the amount of energy that can be produced from them. Many people assume that solar panels necessarily have to be complex works of art – but we’ve actually been using the same technology as we did in the 1960s. It’s not that difficult to understand – and now you can tell your friends! If you are thinking about installing solar panels into your home or business, hopefully this helps you understand how solar works.
Did you know that you can be compensated on a state and federal level for going solar? Find out about