What is Solar Power Energy

Solar power energy is the generation of electricity from sunlight. A solar cell or module, is a device that converts light into electric current using the photoelectric effect. They are usually made of silicon with traces of other elements.

Anyone who has used a modern calculator can grasp the concept of photovoltaics (PV). It is simply the process of converting energy from the Sun into electricity that can power everything from household appliances and lights to commercial buildings and power plants.

In precisely the same way as the small solar cells on hand-held calculators eliminate the need for batteries, PV can provide the world with a clean, reliable source of electricity and reduce our reliance on ever-depleting fossil fuels.

The PV technology of the 21st century makes it possible. It employs layers of micro-fine crystalline silicon to convert ordinary sunlight into small electrical charges. This process is then multiplied thousands of times over to create, smaller than ever before, modules and systems that can generate enough electricity to power entire towns.

It's important to note that PV is different from the solar thermal energy used for heating or in hot water production. A single PV cell consists of two or more thin layers of semi-conducting material, most commonly crystalline silicon. When the silicon is exposed to light, small electrical charges are generated and conducted away by metal contacts as direct current (DC).