What is a solar panel?

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Erik Gregersen. Solar panel, a component of a photovoltaic system that is made out of a series of photovoltaic cells arranged to generate electricity using sunlight.

What are the components of a solar panel?

The main component of a solar panel is a solar cell, which converts the Sun ’s energy to usable electrical energy. The most common form of solar panels involve crystalline silicon -type solar cells. These solar cells are formed using layers of elemental silicon and elements such as phosphorus and boron.

How do solar photovoltaic cells work?

Solar photovoltaic cells are grouped in panels, and panels can be grouped into arrays of different sizes to power water pumps, power individual homes, or provide utility-scale electricity generation. Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (copyrighted)

How does a solar panel generate electricity?

At the heart of a solar panel’s ability to generate electricity is the photovoltaic (PV) effect. Discovered in 1839 by French physicist Edmond Becquerel, the PV effect is the process by which solar cells within the panel convert sunlight into electricity.

What are the key principles underlying PV technology?

This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the key principles underlying PV technology, exploring the fundamental concepts of solar radiation, semiconductor physics, and the intricate mechanisms that facilitate the transformation of sunlight into a usable electrical power source.

What is a PV panel?

PV cells are electrically connected in a packaged, weather-tight PV panel (sometimes called a module). PV panels vary in size and in the amount of electricity they can produce. Electricity-generating capacity for PV panels increases with the number of cells in the panel or in the surface area of the panel.