Solar cells made out of silicon currently provide a combination of high efficiency, low cost, and long lifetime. This lattice provides an organized structure that makes conversion of light into electricity more efficient. Crystalline silicon cells are made of silicon atoms connected to one another to form a crystal lattice. It is also the second most abundant material on Earth (after oxygen) and the most common semiconductor used in computer chips. Silicon is, by far, the most common semiconductor material used in solar cells, representing approximately 95% of the modules sold today. Learn more below about the most commonly-used semiconductor materials for PV cells. If the semiconductor’s bandgap matches the wavelengths of light shining on the PV cell, then that cell can efficiently make use of all the available energy. The amount of electricity produced from PV cells depends on the characteristics (such as intensity and wavelengths) of the light available and multiple performance attributes of the cell.Īn important property of PV semiconductors is the bandgap, which indicates what wavelengths of light the material can absorb and convert to electrical energy. The efficiency of a PV cell is simply the amount of electrical power coming out of the cell compared to the energy from the light shining on it, which indicates how effective the cell is at converting energy from one form to the other. This current is extracted through conductive metal contacts – the grid-like lines on a solar cells – and can then be used to power your home and the rest of the electric grid. This extra energy allows the electrons to flow through the material as an electrical current. When the semiconductor is exposed to light, it absorbs the light’s energy and transfers it to negatively charged particles in the material called electrons. There are several different semiconductor materials used in PV cells. The PV cell is composed of semiconductor material the “semi” means that it can conduct electricity better than an insulator but not as well as a good conductor like a metal.
When light shines on a photovoltaic (PV) cell – also called a solar cell – that light may be reflected, absorbed, or pass right through the cell.
0 kommentar(er)
