A solar cell (also called photovoltaic cell or photoelectric cell) is a solid state electrical device that

converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect.
Assemblies of cells used to make solar modules which are used to capture energy from sunlight, are
known as solar panels. The energy generated from these solar modules, referred to as solar power, is an
example of solar energy.
Photovoltaics is the field of technology and research related to the practical application of photovoltaic
cells in producing electricity from light, though it is often used specifically to refer to the generation of
electricity from sunlight.
Cells are described as photovoltaic cells when the light source is not necessarily sunlight. These are used
for detecting light or other electromagnetic radiation near the visible range, for exampleinfrared detectors,
or measurement of light intensity.

History of solar cells

The term "photovoltaic" comes from the Greek (phs) meaning "light", and "voltaic", from the name
of the Italian physicist Volta, after whom a unit of electro-motive force, the volt, is named. The term
"photo-voltaic" has been in use in English since 1849. [1]
The photovoltaic effect was first recognized in 1839 by French physicist A. E. Becquerel. However, it was
not until 1883 that the first photovoltaic cell was built, by Charles Fritts, who coated
the semiconductor selenium with an extremely thin layer of gold to form the junctions. The device was
only around 1% efficient. In 1888 Russian physicist Aleksandr Stoletov built the first photoelectric cell
(based on the outer photoelectric effect discovered by Heinrich Hertz earlier in 1887). Albert
Einstein explained the photoelectric effect in 1905 for which he received the Nobel prize in Physics in
1921. Russell Ohl patented the modern junction semiconductor solar cell in 1946, [2] which was discovered
while working on the series of advances that would lead to the transistor.

Solar Cells
Solar cells (as the name implies) are designed to convert (at least a portion of)
available light into electrical energy. They do this without the use of either chemical
reactions or moving parts.

Solar energy
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient
times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered
resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the
available renewable energy on earth. Only a minuscule fraction of the available solar energyis used.
Solar powered electrical generation relies on heat engines and photovoltaics. Solar energy's uses are
limited only by human ingenuity. A partial list of solar applications includes space heating and cooling
through solar architecture, potable water via distillation and disinfection, daylighting, solar hot water, solar
cooking, and high temperature process heat for industrial purposes.To harvest the solar energy, the most
common way is to use solar panels.
Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way
they capture, convert and distribute solar energy. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic
panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a
building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and
designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

Solar power
This article is about generation of electricity using solar energy. For other uses of solar energy, see Solar
energy.

The PS10 concentrates sunlight from a field of heliostats on a central tower.

Renewable energy

Biofuel
Biomass
Geothermal
Hydroelectricity
Solar energy
Tidal power
Wave power
Wind power

vde

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or
indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP) or to split water and create hydrogen fuel using
techniques of artificial photosynthesis. Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and
tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into
electric current using the photoelectric effect.[1]
Commercial concentrated solar power plants were first developed in the 1980s, and the 354
MWSEGS CSP installation is the largest solar power plant in the world and is located in the Mojave
Desert of California. Other large CSP plants include the Solnova Solar Power Station (150 MW) and
the Andasol solar power station (100 MW), both in Spain. The 97 MW Sarnia Photovoltaic Power
Plant in Canada, is the worlds largest photovoltaic plant.

Diferace between soler energy and soler

power
Scott, I'm confused about the use of the terms solar energy and solar power. Is solar energy both a
type of energy and a type of technology? Is solar power both a type of power and a type of
technology? It seems like the terms get mixed up and used interchangeably, like kWh and kW do
even though these units describe two different things. What are the general differences between
solar energy and solar power? Thank you. -- Lee K.
Lee, this is a question I get often, and believe it is worth addressing. Solar "power" usually means
converting the sun's rays (photons) to electricity. The solar technologies could be photovoltaics, or
the various concentrating thermal technologies: solar troughs, solar dish/engines, and solar power
towers.
Solar "energy" is a more generic term, meaning any technology that converts the sun's energy into a
form of energyso that includes the aforementioned solar power technologies, but also solar
thermal for water heating, space heating and cooling, and industrial process heat. Solar energy

includes solar daylighting and even passive solar that uses building orientation, design and materials
to heat and cool buildings.
Now in the early 1980's, I was Political Director of the Solar Lobby, formed by the big nine national
environmental groups, that embraced all solar technologieswhich we viewed as wind, hydropower,
and biomass, along with the long list of traditional solar conversion technologies.
The thesis, which is correct, is that the sun contributes to growing plants, wind regimes, and
evaporation and rain (hydropower), so that all the renewables are part of the solar family. Now, of
course, most would argue that geothermal, and tidal and wave (effected by the gravitational force of
the moon) are not solar, but we included these technologies as well.
While I have this platform on solar terminology, I am routinely annoyed by media stories about solar
cells (which they assume describes photovoltaics). Photovoltaics technology has changed over the
decades from groups of silicon cells wired together under glass to make a photovoltaic module
(panel), to various thin film materials deposed on glass, metal and plastics, and including the newer
nanotechnology photovoltaics incorporating light sensitive dyes.
While solar exerts could nitpick that these are indeed other types of embedded solar cells, I would
venture, the term is outmoded. The word "photovoltaics" for the direct conversion of sunlight to
electricity is sufficient.

How does solar power work?

The sunthat power plant in the skybathes Earth in ample energy to fulfill all the
world's power needs many times over. It doesn't give off carbon dioxide emissions. It
won't run out. And it's free.
So how on Earth can people turn this bounty of sunbeams into useful electricity?
The sun's light (and all light) contains energy. Usually, when light hits an object the
energy turns into heat, like the warmth you feel while sitting in the sun. But when light
hits certain materials the energy turns into an electrical current instead, which we can
then harness for power.
What is the difference between passive solar energy systems and active solar energy
systems?
Passive solar energy systems use the architectural design, natural materials, or absorptive
structures of a building as an energy-saving system. The building itself serves as a solar collector
and storage device. An example would be thick-walled stone and adobe dwellings that slowly collect

heat during the day and gradually release it at night. Another example of a passive solar energy
system is a greenhouse. Passive systems require little or no investment of external equipment.
Active solar energy systems require a solar collector (a device used to store energy) and controls
linked to pumps or fans that draw heat from storage as necessary. Active solar systems generally
pump a heat-absorbing fluid (air, water, or an antifreeze solution) through a collector. Collectors,
such as insulated water tanks, vary in.

What is the difference between passive solar energy systems and active solar energy
systems?
Passive solar energy systems use the architectural design, natural materials, or absorptive
structures of a building as an energy-saving system. The building itself serves as a solar collector
and storage device. An example would be thick-walled stone and adobe dwellings that slowly collect
heat during the day and gradually release it at night. Another example of a passive solar energy
system is a greenhouse. Passive systems require little or no investment of external equipment.
Active solar energy systems require a solar collector (a device used to store energy) and controls
linked to pumps or fans that draw heat from storage as necessary. Active solar systems generally
pump a heat-absorbing fluid (air, water, or an antifreeze solution) through a collector. Collectors,
such as insulated water tanks, vary in.