A solar cell or photovoltaic cell (PV cell) is an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by means of the photovoltaic effect. It is a form of photoelectric cell, a device whose electrical characteristics (such as current, voltage, or resistance) vary when it is exposed to light.
Sarat Kumar Sahoo, ... Narendiran Sivakumar, in Perovskite Photovoltaics, 2018 Solar cell is an electrical device, which converts the light energy into electrical energy through the photovoltaic (PV) effect. Solar cells are classified into two categories, which are wafer-based cell and thin film–based cell.
The two main types of solar cells are monocrystalline and polycrystalline. The "photovoltaic effect" refers to the conversion of solar energy to electrical energy. The EnergySage Marketplace is a great way to get in contact with solar panel installers near you and start powering your home with solar! What are solar photovoltaic cells?
A "photoelectrolytic cell" (photoelectrochemical cell), on the other hand, refers either to a type of photovoltaic cell (like that developed by Edmond Becquerel and modern dye-sensitized solar cells), or to a device that splits water directly into hydrogen and oxygen using only solar illumination.
A photovoltaic cell alone cannot produce enough usable electricity for more than a small electronic gadget. Solar cells are wired together and installed on top of a substrate like metal or glass to create solar panels, which are installed in groups to form a solar power system to produce the energy for a home.
Solar cells are semiconductor devices that exploit the photovoltaic effect to directly create electric current and voltage from the collection of photons (quanta of light). They convert sunlight to electricity silently and without moving parts, require little maintenance, and are reliable.
OverviewApplicationsHistoryDeclining costs and exponential growthTheoryEfficiencyMaterialsResearch in solar cells
A solar cell or photovoltaic cell (PV cell) is an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by means of the photovoltaic effect. It is a form of photoelectric cell, a device whose electrical characteristics (such as current, voltage, or resistance) vary when it is exposed to light. Individual solar cell devices are often the electrical building blocks of photovoltaic modules, kn…