Solar panels work to convert sunlight into electricity, then people get energy..
There are two types of solar cells – Monocrystalline & Polycrystalline which are the technologies used today form solar panels.
Monocrystalline (single crystal) solar cells are cut from a silicon boule that is grown from a single crystal – this means the crystal has been grown in only one plane or direction. Monocrystalline are more expensive to manufacture and have a slightly higher efficiency than do the Polycrystalline cells which has the result of smaller individual cell and thus typically a slightly smaller module.
Polycrystalline solar cells are created from multicrystalline technology and are cut from silicon boule that has grown from multifaceted crystalline material – a crystal that has grown in multiple directions. Polycrystalline solar cells have slightly lower efficiency which results in a larger individual cell and therefore creates a larger module.
Semiconductors are the special materials which make up a “Solar” or “Photovoltaic” cell of which the most common used is “Silicon”. When light source energies strike the cell(s) a part of the source is absorbed by the semiconductor material which loosens electrons allowing them to move freely.
Silicon is a poor conductor of electricity so further ingredients, such as phosphorous and boron are added to the mix to create the “semiconductor”. Adding these ingredients allows the silicon to conduct electricity and also allows electrons freed by the light absorption to flow in a certain direction. Placing metal contacts on the top and bottom of the solar cell allows the current generated to be drawn of and used to perform work.
Monocrystalline & Polycrystalline Solar Collectors are modules consisting of an aluminium framed sheet of highly durable low reflective, tempered glass that has had individual solar cells adhered to the inner glass surface which are wired together in a series parallel configuration so as to obtain the necessary voltage and current.
Monocrystalline & Polycrystalline individual cells are wired in series strings to increase the module’s voltage and the series strings are wired in parallel to increase the current of the module. Glass or Tedler sheeting is used to protect the back of the cells and form the back of the module.
The parallel connections are brought through the back of the Monocrystalline/Polycrystalline protective sheeting and then connected to a weather proof junction box which is a permanent mount on the back of the Monocrystalline/Polycrystalline module. This junction box is where the output connections are made.
Several Monocrystalline & Polycrystalline solar modules wired together are what forms the solar panel/collector.
The advent of new silicon nitride Polycrystalline (multycrystalline) cells has made efficiency even higher than similar sized Monocrystalline (polycrystalline) cells.
It is always important to remember that 100 watt Monocrystalline/Polycrystalline module is a 100 watt module whether it is made from Monocrystalline cells or Polycrystalline cells.
Solar panels collect solar radiation from the sun and actively convert that energy to electricity. Solar panels are comprised of several individual solar cells. These solar cells function similarly to large semiconductors and utilize a large-area p-n junction diode. When the solar cells are exposed to sunlight, the p-n junction diodes convert the energy from sunlight into usable electrical energy. The energy generated from photons striking the surface of the solar panel allows electrons to be knocked out of their orbits and released, and electric fields in the solar cells pull these free electrons in a directional current, from which metal contacts in the solar cell can generate electricity. The more solar cells in a solar panel and the higher the quality of the solar cells, the more total electrical output the solar panel can produce. The conversion of sunlight to usable electrical energy has been dubbed the Photovoltaic Effect.
The photovoltaic effect arises from the properties of the p-n junction diode, as such there are no moving parts in a solar panel.
Solar Insolation and Solar Panel Efficiency
Solar Insolation is a measure of how much solar radiation a given solar panel or surface recieves. The greater the insolation, the more solar energy can be converted to electricity by the solar panel. Click to learn more about solar insolation.
Other factors that affect the output of solar panels are weather conditions, shade caused by obstructions to direct sunlight, and the angle and position at which the solar panel is installed. Solar panels function the best when placed in direct sunlight, away from obstructions that might cast shade, and in areas with high regional solar insolation ratings.
Solar panel efficiency can be optimized by using dynamic mounts that follow the position of the sun in the sky and rotate the solar panel to get the maximum amount of direct exposure during the day as possible.
What is a solar cell?
A solar cell is a device people can make that takes the energy of sunlight and converts it into electricity.
At last, so how does a solar cell turn sunlight into electricity? It is very simple, In a crystal, the bonds [between silicon atoms] are made of electrons that are shared between all of the atoms of the crystal. The light gets absorbed, and one of the electrons that’s in one of the bonds gets excited up to a higher energy level and can move around more freely than when it was bound. That electron can then move around the crystal freely, and we can get a current.
