How is the solar energy obtained?
Answers
Solar energy is produced when sunlight strikes solar panels, which then turn solar power into usable electricity. This photovoltaic transformation is the way solar energy is generated. In this article, we’ll look closely at how a home solar system converts power from the sun.
The process of creating power from sunlight starts with the biggest part of a solar installation: the solar panels. A typical solar panel is made from either monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon housed in a metal panel frame with a glass casing.
When sunlight strikes the thin layer of silicon on the top of a solar panel, it knocks electrons off the silicon atoms. Electrons are negatively charged, which means they are attracted to one side of the silicon cell. This creates an electric current that is captured by the wiring in a solar panel.
Known as the “photovoltaic effect”, flowing electrons that have been knocked free by sunlight are the basis of the electricity generated from solar panels. The more sun that strikes your solar panels, the more electrons will be knocked free, so it is important to consider factors like shade and local cloud cover when designing a solar energy system.
Different solar panels produce electricity at different rates depending on their efficiency and quality. High quality solar panels will often cost slightly more money up front, but in the long term will save you money because they produce electricity more efficiently.
Answer:
Solar radiation may be converted directly into electricity by solar cells (photovoltaic cells). By connecting large numbers of individual cells together, however, as in solar-panel arrays, hundreds or even thousands of kilowatts of electric power can be generated in a solar electric plant or in a large household array.