How Do Solar Panels Convert Sunlight Into Electricity

Solar panels are also considered the life blood of a solar power system because solar panels actually capture the sun s radiation thereby initiating the entire process of converting sunlight into an electrical current.

How do solar panels convert sunlight into electricity.

Solar panels actually comprise many smaller units. A basic cell is around 1 100th of an inch thick with a wide range of surface areas. The filling of a solar cell consists of two. They can do this because of something called the photovoltaic effect.

Simply put a solar panel works by allowing photons or particles of light to knock electrons free from atoms generating a flow of electricity. But at the heart of each system is a simple conversion process. Photovoltaic is a term that describes the act of turning sunlight into energy. A photovoltaic cell changes light into electricity.

A typical life span is over 25 years and there are cells in place that have produced electricity reliably for over 40 years. And the solar panels that you see on an increasing number of roofs do something similar converting light into electricity. When hit with sunlight they generate electricity which then flows into a device called an inverter which converts the electricity into a form 120 volts 60hz for household use. Solar panels plug you into the sun by absorbing solar energy with photovoltaic pv cells.

Firstly let s consider the direct usage which by the way is the most common way of receiving electricity from the sun and lies in the usage of solar panels systems. And there is another way to use this abundant energy source. The job of solar panels is to essentially create the electrical current. This method is called a photovoltaic solar method and involves the sunlight which hits the surface of a solar panel the later further converts it to electricity.