Basic Understanding Of How Solar Panels Work

Basic steps in solar energy generation and transmission sunlight hits the solar panels and creates an electric field.

Basic understanding of how solar panels work. Ac energy then flows through the home s electrical panel and is distributed accordingly. The conductive wire brings the electricity to the inverter where it is transformed from dc electricity to ac which is used to power buildings. Simply put a solar panel works by allowing photons or particles of light to knock electrons free from atoms generating a flow of electricity. When photons hit a solar cell they knock electrons loose from their atoms.

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. 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. 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.

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. When electrons flow through such a circuit they generate electricity. Solar panels actually comprise many smaller units. Exposure to light changes silicon s electrical characteristics which generates an electric current.

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. 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. This dc electricity is fed to the battery via a solar regulator which ensures the battery is charged properly and not damaged.

If conductors are attached to the positive and negative sides of a cell it forms an electrical circuit. The following diagram shows the major components in a typical basic solar power system. What are solar panels made of and how do they work. How do solar panels work.

A cell is a small square of silicon about 6 x 6 with electrical contact plates on the face. Solar cells are made primarily from silicon a chemical element with conductive properties.