how do solar panels work – As the prices of renewable energy have plummeted in recent years and technological reliability and output quality have improved considerably, many U.S. homeowners are now starting to see renewable as a viable green energy option. And with solar entering mainstream energy markets, “how are solar panels working? “We should break up the exact production for your home of solar panels and how realistic solar is really.
Photovoltaic cells absorb sunlight, produce direct current energy (DC), and then convert it, using inverter technology, into usable alternation current ( AC). AC energy flows into and is transmitted by the electric panel of the building. The main steps for how solar panels work for your home are as follows:
- Photovoltaic cells capture the energy of the sun and transform it into DC electricity
- The solar converter transforms DC power from your solar modules to AC power, which most household appliances use.
- Electronic devices are powered by electricity from your home
- The electrical grid uses excess electricity generated by solar panels
A standard solar panel is comprised of a silicon cell layer, a metal frame, a glass casing and different wiring to allow silicon cells to flow from the current. Silicon is a non-metal with conductive properties, which enable the absorption and conversion of sunlight into electricity (atomic number 14 on the periodic table). When light interacts with a silicon cell, it causes electrons to move, causing a current flux. This is referred to as the “photovoltaic effect,” which defines the general features of solar panel technology.
Photovoltaic effect is based on the science of generating electricity with solar panels. It was first discovered by Edmond Becquerel in 1839 and can generally be considered a characteristic of certain materials (called semiconductors) that cause an electric current to be generated when exposed to the sun.
Photovoltaics works in simplified steps: The following
- Photovoltaic silicone solar cell absorbs sunlight.
- The electron continues to shift, generating a pulse of electric current as the light connects with the Silicon cell
- Wired power is stored and supplied by this direct current (DC) to a solar transformer to alternating current ( AC)