Solar Energy is light from the sun which grows, warms, and sustains life here on earth. Solar Energy can be converted into Electricity through Photovoltaic Arrays. Photo means light and voltaics means it has to do with electricity. The Arrays are whatever captures the sunlight, most often these are solar panels. This is why solar panels are often referred to as PV (photovoltaic) arrays.
▼What makes a Solar Panel work?
A Solar Panel is made up of many individual Solar Cells. These Solar Cells are made up of a semiconducting material like silicon. Semiconducting is a fancy way of saying that these materials move (or conduct) the flow of electrons. Organizing the flow of electrons into a useful stream gives rise to an electric current. This current can then be used to charge batteries or power DC electronics but not typical AC wall outlets yet. To learn more about inverting DC to AC current see the next question.
Below is a diagram explaining the different layers inside each solar cell and how they conduct electrons into a useful current.
1. Light comes in from the sun and hits the Solar Panel. The Solar Panel is made up of many Solar Cells which now absorb the sunlight. Inside the Solar Cell we find two different semiconducting layers: the p-type and the n-type. The p-type has an abundance of electrons and the n-type has few electrons.
2. The incoming sunlight knocks off a few negatively-charged electrons from atoms in the electron-heavy p-type material.
3. These energized electrons flow through the electron-barren n-type material.
4. This constant one-way flow of electrons creates a Direct Current. The energized electrons flow through a circuit, are made to do electrical work charging batteries or powering light bulbs, and are sent back into the p-type to be energized again.
By :www.energymasters.com
