Photovoltaic (PV) materials and devices convert sunlight into electrical energy. What is photovoltaic (PV) technology and how does it work? PV materials and devices convert sunlight into electrical energy. A single PV device is known as a cell. An individual PV cell is usually small, typically producing about 1 or 2 watts of power.
Photovoltaic technology, often abbreviated as PV, represents a revolutionary method of harnessing solar energy and converting it into electricity. At its core, PV relies on the principle of the photovoltaic effect, where certain materials generate an electric current when exposed to sunlight.
When designing a PV system, location is the starting point. The amount of solar access received by the photovoltaic modules is crucial to the financial feasibility of any PV system. Latitude is a primary factor. 2.1.2. Solar Irradiance
Presently, the world is undergoing exciting haste to install photovoltaic (PV) systems in industry, residential/commercial buildings, transportation, deserts, street lights, and many other applications. Solar photovoltaic energy systems are clean and reliable energy sources that are unlimited, unlike their fossil fuel counterparts.
The foundational discovery that laid the groundwork for solar PV technology was the photovoltaic effect, first observed by the French physicist Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel in 1839. Becquerel, while investigating the behavior of different materials when exposed to light, noted that certain materials generated an electric current when illuminated.
PV materials and devices convert sunlight into electrical energy. A single PV device is known as a cell. An individual PV cell is usually small, typically producing about 1 or 2 watts of power. These cells are made of different semiconductor materials and are often less than the thickness of four human hairs.