How Solar Cells Can Help You Get Electricity From The Sun                 The transformation of sunlight into electricity has been a dream of scientists which goes back well over 100 years. In fact, the very first solar energy motor was first patented by a French inventor in 1861. In recent years, investments in solar energy have produce devices which utilize the power of the sun while reducing the need to be dependent on an electrical grid. There are three main devices that are excellent products for solar energy, and these are photovoltaics, solar thermal, and concentrated solar energy. Solar thermal products use the heat which comes from the sun. This heat can be used to warm water and generate steam which can be transformed into electricity. Concentrated solar energy plants will generate electric power by transforming sunlight into extremely high temperatures through the use of mirrors. Once the heat has reached the correct temperature, it will be transported through a standard electrical generator. The concentrated solar energy plant will be composed of two sections, and one section will be used to absorb the solar energy, while the other will be used to transform this energy into electricity. Both concentrated solar energy plants and solar thermal devices are being used by many nations. Despite this, the most impressive solar energy product is photovoltaic technology. The word is a combination of the terms photo(light) and voltaic(the ability to produce voltage). It is the actual light from the Sun which powers photovoltaic cells rather the heat it generates. The photovoltaic cell is primarily composed of silicon, a well known semiconductor which is also used in most computer products. Many experts feel that photovoltaics are much more promising than either concentrated solar energy plants or solar thermal products. There are a number of cheap products which already use photovoltaic cells, and an example of this are calculators and watches. Highly advanced photovoltaic cells can supply energy to electrical grids. They can power home equipment and help in the movement of water. With photovoltaics, photons strike the cell and bump into electrons, knocking them free of their orbits. This produces a current flow of electricity. As the light continues hitting the cells, the flow of electricity will continue. The cell is not like a battery which runs out of power. It is primarily the intermediary which tranforms light energy into electrical energy. The photovoltaic cells will be connected to modules which maintain over 30 cells. Ten modules together make up what is called a photovoltaic array. These arrays can produce enough electricity to power a single building. If multiple arrays are used, they can assist a power plant. Because of the beneficial properties which are attributed to photovoltaic cells, they are the focus of intense research by scientists and even governments. The conversion efficiency of solar energy into electricity is about 10%. This means that a large percentage is still lost due to heat. The most powerful advantage of photovoltaic cells is that they can be used in remote areas. They are candidates for solving one of the most difficult problems of solar energy technology.   Bookmark and share: