Solar panels can generate electricity

How do solar panels generate electricity?

This process is constant. Over 500 million tons of hydrogen atoms are converted into helium every second, resulting in photons that generate solar energy here on Earth. In a nutshell, solar panels generate electricity when photons (those particles of sunlight we discussed before) hit solar cells. The process is called the photovoltaic effect.

How is solar energy converted into electricity?

Solar energy is converted into electricity through the photovoltaic effect, a process where sunlight, composed of photons, agitates electrons in a semiconductor material (like silicon) within solar panels. Here’s a deeper look into the full process: To find out how solar power works, you need to understand how panels are made.

How does solar energy work?

The amount of sunlight that strikes the earth's surface in an hour and a half is enough to handle the entire world's energy consumption for a full year. Solar technologies convert sunlight into electrical energy either through photovoltaic (PV) panels or through mirrors that concentrate solar radiation.

How do solar photovoltaic cells work?

Solar photovoltaic cells are grouped in panels, and panels can be grouped into arrays of different sizes to power water pumps, power individual homes, or provide utility-scale electricity generation. Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (copyrighted)