Remember Me
forgot your password?

How Solar Panels Work

You may be aware of solar panels and how they are able to provide a free, renewable energy, electricity or heating source right on your doorstep, yet you may not be entirely sure of how the actual technology works.

We shall now cover the basics of what a solar panel needs to work and how the electricity is generated through the photovoltaic cells.

The principle of a solar panel is that it collects solar radiation (from the sun) and converts this solar energy into electricity, the more powerful the sunlight, the greater output (in watts) you will receive (up to the solar cells maximum capacity.)

Solar panels are positioned to face the direction of the sun, this allows photons (contained in the suns rays) to strike the solar panel in an efficient manor. Solar cells are usually made of silicon, but most semi-conducter material is suitable for this purpose.

The electrons in the silicon cells absorb the photons that hit their surface, and if the photon was able to charge the electron enough, the electron will then become a conduction electron, which allows it to carry an electric charge. The electrons in the silicon cells require around 1.1 to 1.3 electron volts, to be transformed into a conduction electron. Around 70% of the suns rays contain this or a greater amount of energy, and so, solar panels are a very common choice for anyone who wishes to generate natural energy.

The two main disadvantages with solar technologies are; the silicon cells degrade greatly with time, and the electrons that do not receive enough energy to be converted into conduction electrons make the cell less efficient. This drop in efficiency is largely to do with the fact that the electrons that are not converted into conduction electrons, simply give off heat, which affects other parts of the solar panel.

So, there is a basic understanding of how a solar panel works. this understanding is fairly simple, and uses concepts that have been around for plenty of years.

http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/solar_panels.html

James Bratley
Rate this Article: 4.5 / 5 stars - 2 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish

Add new Comment



Captcha
0
1. Tom (10:54, 07.10.2009)
Thanks for the article! Solar Panels are amazing pieces of kit!

  • Latest Environment Articles
  • More from James Bratley

13 Easy Green Living Tips for Everyone

By: DAMIEN rogers | 06/01/2010
To live green means to help our environment from the dangers that are destroying it. Green living starts with each of us. Here are just few easy tips to help you get started.

Ecover warns consumers: beware 'greenwashing'

By: Ben Wigley | 06/01/2010
People are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products but with firms cashing in and simply "green-washing" Ecover, who have many awards for their ecological approach say for consumer to beware.

Ever Heard of Worm Farming?

By: Bio Green Clean | 05/01/2010
Worm farming is actually a process used to help get rid of biodegradable wast from composting while separating types of wastes. This regarded by many as an eco-friendly approach to waste management.

Ten Businesses That Can Market With Promotional Bags

By: Graham Williamson | 05/01/2010
Marketing your business takes quite a lot of effort! It also requires a unified approach, especially if your business is still in the early stages of branding. Getting your logo out there is certainly a piece of the puzzle – it’s a form of indirect word of mouth, and better than all the solicited testimonials in the world.

Sustainable Green Living

By: M.c. | 05/01/2010
We have all heard the terms global warming, carbon footprint, carbon dioxide and recently we have had a lot of talk about recession and inflation. Today we are going to talk about living green.

Washtenaw County Saves $766,900 With Solar Panels

By: Elysia Niemi | 04/01/2010
Funding from Michigan State's Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, or ARRA, will reach the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners to be spent at their discretion.

Largest Solar Power Testing Site in the U.S

By: Elysia Niemi | 04/01/2010
On Wednesday, October 21, a historic groundbreaking took place in Aurora, Colorado.

3 Men Build Largest Solar Array in Michigan

By: Elysia Niemi | 04/01/2010
In Charleston Township, Michigan, not far from Kalamazoo, Sam and Connor Field and their business partner, Richard Schmitt, formed a company, Kalamazoo Solar, to install a ground-mounted solar array comprised of 756 solar panels delivering 150 kilowatts of electricity that are expected to become the largest solar farm in the state.

Geothermal Power in Iceland

By: James Bratley | 23/05/2007 | Environment
Iceland is a well established leader in the geothermal world, with just under 90% of the country's housing been heated through the use of geothermal heat.

The Carbon Footprint

By: James Bratley | 17/05/2007 | Environment
Over recent years, society has been exposed to the idea of the carbon footprint. Learn how we can tip the balance of our carbon footprint to be more environmentally friendly.

Outer Space Sunglasses - Save the Earth Through a Solar Lens

By: James Bratley | 22/03/2007 | Environment
Over recent years, many scientists have been designing new and expensive technologies with the aim to save the earth, or reduce the effects from global warming. One of these ideas lies in a concept of giant solar shades. Dr. Roger Angel (the brains behind the glass optics) is one of the worlds most renowned experts in the field of glass optics, and believes glass could the answer to solving global warming.

Is Solar Energy Reliable?

By: James Bratley | 12/03/2007 | Environment
Solar power is becoming a way of life for many people across the globe. From isolated communities to inner city suburbs, solar energy is becoming a very popular choice to better the environment. We will discover if solar panels are reliable in providing power for a larger audience, and the factors which stand in the way of this ideology.

The Different Types of Natural Energy

By: James Bratley | 08/03/2007 | Environment
A basic understanding of some of the most popular renewable and natural energy methods can be found here. There are many different natural energy sources out there, some of which are more powerful than others, whereas others are more reliable in delivering a much greater output. We shall now take a look at some of the main renewable energy sources.

What is Geothermal Energy

By: James Bratley | 06/03/2007 | Science
Geothermal energy is a Greek term used to described the heating of the earth. There are two main sources of this heating of the earth. The correct source for geothermal energy is the earths core, where temperatures are estimated to be between 3000 and 5000 degrees Celsius. The source for the variant of geothermal energy is the sun, where the suns rays heat the first few meters of the land, and then this energy is lost at night.

Solar Energy Around your Home

By: James Bratley | 02/03/2007 | Environment
You may be surprised to learn how solar energy extraction has been around for over 100 years, and during the industrial revolution, the sun was used to produce steam which would then drive turbines generating power. This article explores how we are able to provide an efficient, steady stream of electricity into our homes, through the use of solar panels and their new technologies.

Can Natural Energy Production Actually Save our Planet

By: James Bratley | 01/03/2007 | Environment
Global warming has long been a feared consequence of our industrial revolution, yet why has it taken so many years for governments to actually take it seriously? Here, we shall look at the different areas the world as a whole needs to combat in an attempt to reduce the effects that global warming faces upon us.

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup
Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.23, 1, w3)