How Solar Panels Are Used To Generate Electricity

Solar energy is one of the most affordable renewable energy sources available today.

How solar panels are used to generate electricity.

Solar radiation may be converted directly into electricity by solar cells photovoltaic cells. Solar panels contain cells of semiconductive material usually silicon usually encased in a metallic frame and tempered glass. Wattage is calculated by multiplying volts x amps where volts represents the amount of force of the electricity and amperes amps refers to the aggregate amount of energy used. Solar power is arguably the cleanest most reliable form of renewable energy available and it can be used in several forms to help power your home or business solar powered photovoltaic pv panels convert the sun s rays into electricity by exciting electrons in silicon cells using the photons of light from the sun.

Use the highest efficiency solar panels you can. With solar panels there s a pretty wide range of efficiency from around 16 up to 23. Unlike fossil fuels solar energy is an infinitely renewable energy source. Solar panel wattage represents a solar panel s theoretical power production under ideal sunlight and temperature conditions.

Eventually fossil fuels a non renewable energy source will be depleted and the world will have to turn toward renewable energy. That s almost a 50 difference so switching from cheap panels to the highest efficiency ones on the market can dramatically reduce the number of panels you need. Even ten years ago this study said it takes about 2 years of energy generation to pay back the energy used to make the solar panel. Arrays of photovoltaic cells are normally used to collect the energy from the sun and convert it into electricity.

Here s the process demystified. When subject to sunlight photovoltaic cells create a flow of electric charge inside the solar panel due to the photoelectric effect. An inverter is. Solar energy is a renewable energy resource that is more affordable now than ever before and is used to produce electricity for a wide variety of residential and commercial uses.

Many solar panels use silicon one of the planet s most common elements. This flow travels in a circuit of wires that connect groups of solar panels called arrays. In such cells a small electric voltage is generated when light strikes the junction between a metal and a semiconductor such as silicon or the junction between two different semiconductors. Solar panels use photovoltaic cells to produce electricity according to the united states department of energy.

Electricity produced from sunlight will be a key part of our journey toward sustainable energy in the future. To generate solar energy the photons radiated from the sun to earth must be collected converted into a usable format and then delivered to an electronic device or the electric grid. Solar energy solar energy electricity generation. Then it makes energy with no energy cost at all for the rest of its life.

So a solar panel will make many times more energy than it takes to make it.