How Is Electricity Produced Using Solar Panels?

Solar cells and panels can turn light into electricity.

Photovoltaic is the scientific term for the process solar panels are used for: the transition of light to electricity. The actual change from light to electricity is a result of a scientific process and can be harnessed with solar panels to power electrical items.

Photoelectric Effect

The photoelectric effect is the effect that creates electricity. In the presence of certain materials, those solar panels are produced from, light can be filtered through leaving electrons behind which creates an electrical current.

Collecting Electricity

While the process is important, the equipment also is vitally important to collecting electricity. Solar cells must be constructed together to create panels to collect light. These panels must be connected to an electrical conduit creating a circuit for the collected electricity to proceed to.

History of Photovoltaic

In 1839, Edmund Bequerel, a physicist, discovered the photoelectric process and with the later discoveries concerning the properties of light by Albert Einstein, the Bell Laboratories was able to produce the first prototype of a panel in 1954.

References

• NASA Science Science News: How Do Photovoltaics Work?
• Energy Kids: Solar