How Does Solar Panels Convert Sunlight Into Electricity

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How does solar panels convert sunlight into electricity.

A typical life span is over 25 years and there are cells in place that have produced electricity reliably for over 40 years. Photovoltaic is a term that describes the act of turning sunlight into energy. Photovoltaic solar panels absorb this energy from the sun and convert it into electricity a solar cell is made from two layers of silicon one doped with a tiny amount of added phosphorus n type. And the solar panels that you see on an increasing number of roofs do something similar converting light into electricity.

They can do this because of something called the photovoltaic effect. But at the heart of each system is a simple conversion process. Just like a sandwich it s the. A photovoltaic cell changes light into electricity.

A basic cell is around 1 100th of an inch thick with a wide range of surface areas. When hit with sunlight they generate electricity which then flows into a device called an inverter which converts the electricity into a form 120 volts 60hz for household use. They extract the power generated within the solar cell and conduct it to an external circuit.