Smart Grids, Solar Power and Renewable Energies

Solar Cells

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Solar cells are typically named after the semiconducting material from which they are made up of. These materials have the power of absorbing the sunlight. The main application of solar cells is in the space is to provide electric power to the satellites. A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell, is an electrical device that converts the light energy directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. The solar cell works when Photons in sunlight hit the solar panel and are absorbed by semiconducting materials like silicon. In solar cells usually silicon is used in two layers, one layer being bonded with boron, the other with phosphorus.

A solar cell has the phenomena of Photoelectric effect or photoemission which is the production of electrons or other free carriers when light falls onto a material. Electrons are emitted and can be called photoelectrons. The materials with the lowest threshold frequencies are all semiconductors. Photovoltaics are the ejected electron travels through the emitting material to enter a solid electrode with the photo emitter instead of traveling through a vacuum to an anode leading to the direct conversion of radiant energy to electrical energy. Photoconductivity defined as an increase in the electrical conductivity of a non-metallic solid when exposed the electromagnetic radiation.