Solar power is the technology of harnessing and producing usable energy from the sun’s light and is already used in a number of ways such as heating, electricity generation, and desalination of seawater. Solar electric power, converting sunlight into electricity, is called photovoltaic (PV) power generation.The 89 petawatts of sunlight that reaches the earth’s surface far exceeds the 15 terawatts of average power consumed by humans. Solar electric generation has the highest power density of the renewable energies, is pollution free, needs little or no maintenance after initial set-up and is increasingly economically competitive.
How does it work?
Photovoltaic devices, generally called solar cells, consist of two or more thin layers of semi-conducting material, usually silicon. The layers are given opposite charges; one positive, one negative. When sunlight strikes the solar cell, electrons are knocked loose and move toward the treated front surface of the solar cell. This creates an electron imbalance between the front and back of the cell and creates a direct current (DC) which can be used to power a pump or recharge a battery.The flow of electricity increases with the intensity of sunlight. In a situation where greater voltage, current, or power is required, solar cells can be electrically connected to create a more powerful solar panel.
