Photovoltaic Solar Power

So, you want to know how a solar panel makes electricity, and what the terms about solar power mean. This is a brief explanation of how it works, and a couple basic terms described.

Electricity from solar energy is converted using a photovoltaic cell, or solar cell. They are grouped together to form a solar panel. The groups of solar cells are wired in series and parallel to create the voltage required. When you put two or more solar panels together it is called a photovoltaic array, or solar array.

The solar cell converts sunlight to electricity, then send the electricity to a load or storage device, usually a battery or battery bank. It is important to have a voltage regulator to avoid damage to your battery bank. From the the battery bank electricity can be used as needed and a converter can be used to change the voltage if required. Read more