Solar PV

‘How do we make electricity from the sun?’ 

The process to convert sunlight into electricity is called photovoltaic which comes from the Latin word photo meaning light and voltaic means volt. After the famous Italian physicist Count Alessandro Volta who’s name is used for measure of electricity – the volt.

Photovoltaic is abbreviated to PV to simplify.

The most important component of a photovoltaic system is the PV cell – known also as a solar cell.

A solar cell is made up of certain special materials that are called semiconductors; the most common is silicon, when the sunlight (photons) shines onto the solar cell an amount is absorbed as energy into the semiconductor material.

This then knocks electrons loose from the semiconductor’s atoms allowing them to flow freely inside the specially treated material. Contacts on either side of the cell capture these electrons converting them into an electric currant (radiation) – power from the suns light.

A PV system may consist of many solar cells, which are grouped together to make a PV module or also known as a solar panel. The more PV modules (photovoltaic systems) the greater the energy is produced. Even on cloudy and rainy days significant amounts of electricity is still generated as solar panels work from direct sunlight and indirect sunlight (diffused) or partially cloudy skies actually have an output from a PV module system into a solar inverter to convert the power from DC to AC to use in a domestic property or commercial building.

Solar Links we recommend

Found out more about solar and grants and funding available Energy Saving Trust

The MCS certificates microgeneration site expalins all about MCS