Basic Principles of Solar Panels and Power

Solar power and solar panels are getting a lot of attention as part of the solution to our energy crisis. Solar energy, also called photovoltaic energy, is undergoing rapid changes thanks to massive investment in research and development. This article will discuss the basic makeup of photovoltaics in hopefully easy-to-understand terms.

Solar Cells

A solar panel is made of several photovoltaic cells. The cells are very thin, about 1/100th of an inch thick and usually 3 to 4 inches square. These cells convert sunlight to energy by the photovoltaic effect (we will discuss this effect in detail in a later article). These cells do not require fuel and have a standard lifetime of 20-30 years.

solar panels

Introduction to Solar Photovoltaics