What Exactly Is PV Solar Power?

PV solar power is completely different from other types. Of the 2 major categories of solar energy, active and passive, PV solar energy is active. Let's take a look at it.

Solar Panel

Active solar energy relies on solar panels. You may imagine them as flat, rectangular boxes on rooftops.

You can find two main types of solar panel. From a distance, both appear to be rectangular boxes. Both convert rays from the sun into electrical power, but in 2 completely different ways. The terms for the two solar panel types are actually solar thermal collector as well as photovoltaic module.

1. Solar thermal collector: This solar panel takes in solar power from the sun and makes use of it to heat air and water.

2. Photovoltaic module: This next kind of solar panel collects solar energy and converts it to usable electricity.

Meet the PV

To respond to the question, what's PV solar energy, we must know what the PV is. The quick reply is that PV pertains to a photovoltaic module. "P" is actually for photo and "V" for voltaic.

In simple terms, "photo" refers to sunshine and "voltaic" pertains to electrical power. PV panels convert sunlight into electric power. Sunshine flows into the solar panel. Electric energy flows out of the solar panel.

A PV solar panel is made up of lots of photovoltaic (light to volts) cells. These particular cells are electrically linked, and then covered with glass. The glass offers electrical insulation. It's also good safety from weather conditions and other damaging forces.

When minimal power is required, similar to that necessary to power a smaller piece of equipment, a single PV solar panel is enough. When much more power is needed, an "array" of solar panels is built by linking panels to one another. If the power won't be supplied to the power grid, the solar panel(s) is linked to a charge controller, and battery. When it is meant for on-grid use, the solar panel array would be connected to an electrical inverter.

What Is PV Solar Power?

Standard silicon solar panels transform around 14 to 17 percent of sunshine into usable electrical power. That is not much. Late in 2006, though, a new solar cell was released. Solar panels that make use of the brand new cell can transform into electrical energy twenty two percent of the daylight they collect. Theoretically, the maximum that the cells of a solar panel could convert is alleged to be about 26 to 27 percent of incoming sunlight.

How does it really work? Let's take a look at a really simple explanation.

Every photovoltaic cell in a PV solar panel is a semiconductor. When sunshine hits these cells, a specific part of the sunlight is absorbed by those silicon cells. The cells absorb that part of the daylight's power. The cells then transfer the absorbed daylight's energy to the electrons in the silicon. The electrons start to move, and this generates an electrical current. Metallic contacts built into the top and backside of the PV cells draw off that current and it's dispatched to the grid or battery. It is now usable electricity. The power grid sends it on its way, in case you have used an on-grid connection. If you're using a battery, it's stored within the battery awaiting your need.

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What Exactly Is PV Solar Power?

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