A photovoltaic cell, PV cell, solar cell, or solar cell is a component that produces electricity when exposed to light. The photovoltaic cell is made of semiconductor materials that absorb the rays emitted by the sun and generate an electric current. A solar panel is formed by bringing together more than one photovoltaic cell.
Sunlight is made up of photons or solar energy particles. These photons contain varying amounts of energy corresponding to different wavelengths of the solar spectrum.
A photovoltaic cell, PV cell, photoelectric cell or solar cell is a component that produces electricity when exposed to light. The photovoltaic cell is made of semiconductor materials that absorb the rays emitted by the sun and generate an electric current.
The photovoltaic cell has a sandwich-like structure consisting of multiple layers. When sunlight hits the semiconductor in the uppermost layer of the cell, the electrons are excited and drawn to the lower layer. Electron mobility between the two layers creates an electric current. An anti-reflective coating is added to the top of the cell to minimize power loss due to surface reflection.
Photovoltaic cells can produce a limited amount of energy. Multiple solar cells must work together to produce more energy. A solar panel is formed by bringing together more than one photovoltaic cell. The photovoltaic cell is the main component that makes up the solar panel. The number of cells on the solar panel may vary depending on the panel size and brand.
When photovoltaic cells are connected in series, the output voltage increases and the current remains the same. In parallel combination of cells, the voltage remains the same and the current increases. Solar panels are created by combining photovoltaic cells in series and parallel. This increases both voltage and current.
By combining photovoltaic cells, arrays of any size can be formed. Photovoltaic cells power calculators and wristwatches. On a larger scale, solar energy is also used to power irrigation systems, communications equipment and lighting systems.
Photovoltaic cells and solar panels produce direct current (DC) electricity. If the electrical energy produced will be used to feed alternating current (AC) systems such as televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, an additional converter (inverter) must be used to convert energy.
The parameter that determines the performance of the photovoltaic cell is efficiency. Efficiency is the ratio of the electrical power produced by the cell to the power of sunlight. To measure the efficiency of photovoltaic cells, a simulator that simulates sunlight is used. The solar panel is exposed to a 1,000 W light and the electrical power produced by the system is measured. If the solar panel provides 200 W of electrical power in these conditions, it is concluded that it has 20 percent efficiency.
Monocrystalline solar cells have higher efficiency than polycrystalline solar cells. While the efficiency of polycrystalline solar panels is around 15 percent, this value reaches 20 percent in monocrystalline solar panels.
