Solar electric systems, also called photovoltaic (PV) systems, convert sunlight into electricity. This is done using solar cells, the basic building blocks of PV systems. Solar cells are made out semiconductor materials, silicone being one of the most common semiconductor materials.
When sunlight is absorbed by a semiconductor (as in a solar panel) the sunlight knocks electrons loose from their atoms in the semiconductor. This occurrence is referred to as the “photoelectric effect.”
The electrons that have been knocked loose then follow a “path” built into the solar cell, which forms an electrical current. You can see a short video here to see how this process works:
Solar panels can still create electricity on cloudy days, but will of course produce more on clear and sunny days.
The basic building block of a solar panel, the PV cell or solar cell, produces only a small amount of electricity. However, many solar cells can be combined into one panel, in order to increase the panel’s power output. Several solar panels can then be interconnected, to increase the power output to the desired level. These panels can be installed either on a roof or mounted on racks at ground level. Several panels so mounted are technically referred to as a “PV Array.”
PV arrays are either mounted at fixed angels facing south, or they can be mounted with tracking devices which keep them pointed at the sun at all hours of the day. Solar panels mounted on tracking devices allow for the maxim amount of solar power available for conversion throughout the day.
Due to the fact that solar panels are modular, i.e. you can interconnect as many or as few as you want. Solar power systems can be designed to meet any power requirements, no matter how large or how small. Their uses range from your providing electricity for a pocket calculator, to powering an entire city.
Home solar panels can also be connected to the electrical grid, allowing for net metering (the practice of selling excess electricity, generated by individual users, back to the electrical company).
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I keep meaning to ask about 2 questions I have about this stuff.
The first is: Is there any sort of heat build up you have to be worried about if you’re installing large amounts of these? I don’t necessarily mean dangerous build up, but just an increased temperature in or around your home or wherever you set these up?
The second is: Can these store the electricity as well, or can you only use them when the sun is up? You may have answered this somewhere already, but if so I’ve either completely missed it or forgotten. :/