Solar Cell Technology

Solar Cell Materials

Silicon Known as "solar grade silicon", crystalline silicon is by far the most prevalent bulk material for solar cells. Bulk silicon is separated into multiple categories according to crystallinity and crystal size in the resulting ingot, ribbon, or wafer. Thin films One problem is the amount or ma >>Read More

Anatomy of a Solar Cell

Simple explanation Photons in sunlight hit the solar panel and are absorbed by semiconducting materials, usually silicon. Electrons (negatively charged) are then knocked loose from their atoms, allowing them to flow through the material to produce electricity. The complementary positive charges that >>Read More

Applications

Special Applications of Solar Power

Professional Application Ocean navigation aids: many lighthouses and most buoys are now powered by solar cells. Telecommunication systems: radio transceivers on mountain tops or telephone boxes in the country can often be solar powered. Remote monitoring and control: scientific research stations, >>Read More

Typical Applications of Solar Power

Often electrically connected and encapsulated as a module, PV modules of solar cells often have a sheet of glass on the front (sun up) side with a resin barrier behind, allowing light to pass while protecting the semiconductor wafers from the elements (rain, hail, etc.). They are also usually connec >>Read More

Issues Facing Solar Power

Solving Solar Power Issues

Having electricity during the day, and then only on clear days, is not a situation that anyone would choose to put themselves in, given a choice. There is a need for energy storage, in short, batteries. Unfortunately, batteries add a lot of cost and maintenance to the PV system. They are currently a >>Read More

Financial Incentives

Governments install incentive policies for PV in order to grow the industry even while the cost of PV is significantly above grid parity, hoping to achieve the economies of scale necessary to reach grid parity. The policies are implemented both for economic and environmental reasons. They will help >>Read More

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The information provided on this website is current as of February 2007. Although it is true to the best of our knowledge, we bear no responsibility for negative effects resulting from the use or misuse of this information.