Solar PV

Solar PV

What’s Solar PV?

Photovoltaic (PV) devices, such as solar panels, take sunlight and turn it into electricity that you can use in your home. The photovoltaic effect was first discovered in the 1800s, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that scientists developed the first solar cell capable of powering electronics. It was made from silicon, a material derived from sand that is naturally photovoltaic. Today, most solar PV is still silicon-based, though the technology is much more efficient than the first solar cells.

Solar Cells

Solar cells are the individual building blocks of solar PV panels. As sunlight hits the solar cells, it’s absorbed by the silicon, and it knocks loose electrons inside the cell to create electricity. Solar cells are connected together into solar panels. Solar panels, in turn, can be connected together into larger arrays. The current flows from the panels into an inverter, which converts the power into electricity you can use in your outlets.

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Types of Solar PV Panels

As mentioned above, most solar panels are made with silicon. The most efficient type of silicon solar PV is called “monocrystalline” silicon and it’s good to use when you have a limited amount of space. Polycrystalline silicon panels have less silicon in them, so they’re a little bigger, but they’re also less expensive. Another type of solar panels use “thin film” technology. These are cheaper to make, but they’re also much less efficient. Solar shingles, which are made to blend in with regular shingles, are also less efficient. More: The Different Types of PV Panels.

Why do people use Solar PV?

Since sunlight is free, after you’ve paid for your solar panels, you’ll pretty much be getting free electricity, with just some basic fees from your utility company. That can save a huge amount of money over time. With various solar incentives, like the federal solar tax credit, SRECs, and state and local rebates, it’s getting more and more affordable to get new solar panels. Solar panels also have huge environmental benefits. Using solar panels is a great way to help reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change; right now, coal-powered electric plants are the biggest polluter and source of CO2 in the United States, and coal pollution also contributes to diseases like asthma and bronchitis. Solar is a clean, safe option, and has advantages even over other renewable energy sources.