Solar panels are continuing to improve and offer us viable solutions to the trouble of relying on fossil fuels for our energy. Using solar power is becoming more and more commonplace, yet many people still don’t understand the manufacturing process or exactly how solar panels work.

Photovoltaic (PV) systems operate in accordance with the photovoltaic effect, (“photo- light, voltaic- -electricity). Solar cells are usually made of silicon. When a photon (particles of sunlight) strikes a molecule within the silicon cell, an electron is knocked free. An electrical field causes this free electron to move to one side of the cell. The accumulated effect of millions of this interaction generates electricity.

Solar cells are placed together to form a solar panel. These solar panels form the energy-producing portion of the PV system. Mounts are used to secure the system in its placement and to allow for proper alignment with the sun’s rays throughout the day. From there the electricity generated can be sent to a battery for storage, used as direct current (DC) or tied into a local utility via a grid-tie system.

Off grid and stand-alone systems typically use a battery to store the generated electricity until it is needed.

PV products are made using either crystalline silicon, thin-film, or string-ribbon technologies. Most commercial PV systems use the crystalline silicon to create the solar cells.

Thin-film uses less semiconductor material than the crystalline silicon technique. Thin film products are made by sequentially depositing thin layers of different materials into a very thin structure.

String-Ribbon manufacturing technology involves both the conventional crystalline silicon and the thin film manufacturing. Two high temperature strings pull through a shallow silicon melt. The molten silicon continuously spans and freezes between the strings. This method yields twice as many solar cells per pound of silicon as the conventional methods.

The PV system supplies direct current electricity. Most stand alone systems use an inverter to convert the DC current to AC current the most used current in traditional homes and businesses.