How Solar Panels Work

You might have seen solar panels on the roofs of homes or even had them installed in your own home, but how does solar energy work? The basic goal of a solar panel is to convert sunlight into usable energy that can power something as simple as a light bulb to something as complicated as the system that heats your water. The process of converting sunlight into energy might seem complicated, but it is actually simple when it is broken down into the basic components of a solar cell. Find out how this source of renewable energy works and why it is a more environmentally-friendly option than regular electricity.

Components of a Solar Cell

The most complicated part of the process is within the solar cell itself. In order to convert sun into energy, the panel must get electricity from the source without also taking in too much heat. It is not the heat that powers these panels, but rather the photons and electrons from the sunlight that creates energy. This is one of the advantages of solar energy.  A panel is designed in layers. The first layer is a silicon layer that has free electrons that are meant to attract photons carried by sunlight. A second layer, made with boron and filled with holes, allows the electrons to move through it freely, but creates opposing charges to the top layer. It is this opposing charge that conducts electricity that can later be harvested.

Electron Movements

As the photons from the sun pass through the first layer, they knock the electrons present in the cell loose, causing them to bounce between layers. Electrons in the second layer bounce up to the top of the cell, creating energy. This energy flows into a metal conductor at the top of the cell. The metal is designed as a circuit, allowing electrons to move through it as the sun’s photons continue to displace them. This continuous flow of electrons is what creates the energy that will later be harvested. Solar savings are immediately evident because the cell does not need an outside force or resource to power this circuit. The energy flow of electrons is a closed circuit, meaning that it can continue to power itself as long as it is being fed photons from the sun.

Converting Electrons into Energy

Once a closed circuit has been established, the electric current formed by the electrons’ movements can be harvested with a wire conduit. This wire conduit attracts electricity and feeds it into an inverter, which is a device that feeds electricity to other areas in a fixed current. This current can then be fed to an alternating current, which can change the voltage to fit specific devices, such as lightbulbs and microwaves. Excess power feeds into the area’s electrical grid, operating any appliance that runs on electricity. Solar energy pros and cons include this aspect, because while this is an effective system while the sun feeds energy to the panels, in times when the sun is hidden by clouds or during the night, the energy output is not as great.

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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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