Solar panels gather energy from the sun

How do solar panels work?

You probably already know that solar panels use the sun's energy to generate clean, usable electricity. But have you ever wondered how they do it? At a high level, solar panels are made up of solar cells, which absorb sunlight. They use this sunlight to create direct current (DC) electricity through a process called "the photovoltaic effect."

How do solar panels generate electricity?

Solar PV panels convert the sun’s energy into electricity. Solar panels are made of photovoltaic cells, which is why solar-generated electricity is also referred to as solar PV. To understand how solar panels generate electricity, let's take a closer look at the photovoltaic cells (PV cells) in the solar panel.

How does a solar cell convert sunlight into electricity?

A solar cell is a device people can make that takes the energy of sunlight and converts it into electricity. How does a solar cell turn sunlight into electricity? In a crystal, the bonds [between silicon atoms] are made of electrons that are shared between all of the atoms of the crystal.

What are solar panel cells?

Solar panel cells are referred to as photovoltaic cells. “Photovoltaic” simply means that they convert sunlight into electricity. Many of these small cells link together to form a solar panel. These tiny cells are the key to how solar energy works.

How does a home solar energy installation work?

Here's an example of how a home solar energy installation works. First, sunlight hits a solar panel on the roof. The panels convert the energy to DC current, which flows to an inverter. The inverter converts the electricity from DC to AC, which you can then use to power your home.

What is solar energy & how does it work?

The solar resource is enormous. Just 18 days of sunshine on Earth contains the same amount of energy as is stored in all of the planet's reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas. Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels are based on a high-tech but remarkably simple technology that converts sunlight directly to electricity.