How Solar Panels Work

Solar panels are made up of these small things called pv cells and many pv cells linked together make a solar panel.

How solar panels work. Each cell is a sandwich made from two slices of semiconductor material usually silicon. Simply put a solar panel works by allowing photons or particles of light to knock electrons free from atoms generating a flow of electricity. It s an idea that has been around for well over a century. In 1839 french scientist edmond becquerel discovered that certain materials would give off sparks of electricity when struck with sunlight.

Each slice of silicon gets an addition of material that will give it either a positive or negative charge. Solar energy works when the photons of an atom knock the electrons free from atoms generating a flow of electricity. When you really break them down a solar panel is nothing more than a big sheet of glass over a metal frame with a patch of wiring that runs to your home s main. Solar panels actually comprise many smaller units.

The slice on top gets phosphorus for a negative charge and the slice on bottom. Solar photovoltaic pv panels are based on a high tech but remarkably simple technology that converts sunlight directly to electricity. How do solar panels work. Most solar cells are made out of silicon.