How Solar Panels Work

Solar panels are made from silicon. Silicon ingots are sliced to form wafers, and then cut in to solar cells.  Solar cells are stuck together to create a solar module, also known as a solar panel.

Solar cells absorb light to create a photovoltaic (PV) effect. The electricity created by this effect is what we call “solar” at Sungevity.

All the fun stuff happens near the top surface of the solar cell, which faces the sun. There are two layers of semiconductor material, a positive and a negative, making a small electric field.

When light falls on the surface of the solar cell, some of the silicon’s electrons are knocked free by the photons, the bundles of energy that arrive from the sun. The electric field then drives these electrons from negative to positive as a flow of electric current. This current travels through wires in direct current (DC) to the inverter, which then converts it into alternating current (AC), the kind of electricity you use in your home.

Solar cells have fine metal wires on their surface to collect these electrons and convert over 15% of the sun’s energy hitting the module directly into electricity. That makes clean, fuel-free, solar electricity for homes directly from sunlight.

The solar panels (also called solar modules) are covered in anti-reflective glass and sealed to protect the panels from the atmosphere. As there are no moving parts in solar panels, and only the glass and aluminum frames are exposed to the elements, home solar panels last for decades.

To find out what solar would look like on your roof, enter your address in the brown box above or call us at 877.257.8648 today.