how does solar work?

How does Solar Cells realy work
The solar cells that you see on calculators and satelites are also called photovoltaic (PV) cells, which as the name implies (photo meaning "light" and voltaic meaning electricity), convert sunlight directly into electricity. A module is a group of cells connected electrically and packaged into a frame (more commonly known as a solar panel), which can then be grouped into larger solar arrays.

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¬Photovoltaic cells are made of special materials called semiconductors such as silicon, which is currently used most commonly. Basically, when light strikes the cell, a certain portion of it is absorbed within the semiconductor material. This means that the energy of the absorbed light is transferred to the semiconductor. The energy knocks electrons loose, allowing them to flow freely.

PV cells also all have one or more electric field that acts to force electrons freed by light absorption to flow in a certain direction. This flow of electrons is a current, and by placing metal contacts on the top and bottom of the PV cell, we can draw that current off for external use, say, to power a calculator. This current, together with the cell's voltage (which is a result of its built-in electric field or fields), defines the power (or wattage) that the solar cell can produce.

That's the basic process, but there's really much more to it. You've probably seen calculators with solar cells devices that never need batteries ! As long as there's enough light, they seem to work forever. You may also have seen larger solar panels, perhaps on emergency road signs, power lights on the freeways.

Although these larger panels aren't as common as solar-powered calculators, they're out there and not that hard to spot if you know where to look. In fact, photovoltaics , which were once used almost exclusively in space, powering satellites' electrical systems, are being used more and more in less exotic ways. The technology continues to pop up in new devices all the time, from calculators to lights, cooking, etc.

The hope for a "solar revolution" has been floating around now for decades , and the idea that one day we'll all use free electricity fro¬m the biggest source, which is the sun of course!
On a bright, sunny day, the sun's rays give off approximately 1,000 watts of energy per square meter of the planet's surface. If we could collect most of that energy, we could easily provide power to our homes and offices for FREE, how lovely would that be…?

Solar Power Your Home For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden))

Solar Electricity Handbook, 2010 Edition: A Simple Practical Guide to Solar Energy - Designing and Installing Photovoltaic Solar Electric Systems