How Do Solar Panels Produce Energy

Solar panels contain cells of semiconductive material usually silicon usually encased in a metallic frame and tempered glass.

How do solar panels produce energy.

Solar panels produce direct current dc and your home runs on alternating current ac. Solar technology has been around for decades as a way to generate energy from sunlight. Access to cheap and ubiquitous solar power and storage will transform the way we produce and use power allowing electrification of the transport. Solar panels actually comprise many smaller units.

When this occurs a flow of electricity is generated and this electricity is harnessed and preserved as electrical energy. Sam stranks is a co founder of swift solar inc. Solar panel wattage represents a solar panel s theoretical power production under ideal sunlight and temperature conditions. Solar panels work by allowing particles of light called photons to knock electrons from their atomic orbitals.

This ratio of ac to dc is called the derate factor and is typically about 8. Solar panels are made up of small photovoltaic cells connected together and made out of semiconducting materials. All manufactured things that are used to make energy take energy to make. This flow travels in a circuit of wires that connect groups of solar panels called arrays.

Simply put a solar panel works by allowing photons or particles of light to knock electrons free from atoms generating a flow of electricity. Even what s needed to burn coal takes energy. Wattage is calculated by multiplying volts x amps where volts represents the amount of force of the electricity and amperes amps refers to the aggregate amount of energy used. Because of physics there are losses in converting the energy from the sun into dc power and turning the dc power into ac power.

Like all manufactured objects solar panels are manufactured. When the photons hit the panel they are absorbed by the panel s semiconducting silicon material. Yep like the band ac dc. How does a solar panel generate power.

The massive turbines that use the steam by boiling water by burning coal and turn that into electricity take energy to make. During this process electrons separate from the atoms and move around the solar cell. Your home does not produce energy at nighttime so any electricity used during these hours is being provided by your local utility through the grid. This all happens as light hits a unit called a photovoltaic cell.

Since solar energy is sometimes provided at a cheaper rate than the local utility it s a good idea to try and limit high usage appliances like your a c to being used during the daytime.