How Solar Panels Work: From Sunlight to Electricity
With solar energy’s popularity at an all-time high, it's no wonder that more and more people are flocking to the best solar companies in Pakistan to have their homes, their offices, and even their businesses energised by renewable energy sources, taking the country by storm. However, as it happens with most things that become popular in Pakistan, the backstage details remain unknown to many, and this is what we will be tackling for today: how does the hugely popular solar panel actually work? How is it that a static piece of technology can convert sunlight into electricity, even though we’ve had sunlight since the dawn of mankind?
Well, this blog will delve into the details of the inner and technical functioning of a solar panel, how it generates electricity from sunlight. We will also look into the best solar company in Karachi and Pakistan, RS Energy, and how complete and comprehensive solar energy solutions from RS Energy can help you make the most out of the solar revolution in Pakistan and energise your household, your office, or your business with the golden goodness of the sun. But first, let’s look into and understand the functioning of a solar panel and how it converts sunlight into electricity.
From sunlight to energy: how solar panels work?
Solar panels operate on the principle of polar electricity, i.e., oppositely charged atoms lose electrons, which in turn become the primary source of electric energy. The temperature and the accompanying heat are in the equation as catalysts, as they help the reaction of charged atoms lose their electrons. The whole process will be documented below, in easy-to-understand terms and concepts so that the basic functioning of solar panels is known to a wide audience.
Solar panels and the PV effect
A solar panel is made of thin wafers of silicon sandwiched together, usually with another element, however, a good majority of them only have silicon, which also happens to be the main powering component for a lot of other electronics.
What happens is that a layer of silicon and another element (usually phosphorus and boron) are used to create negative and positive layers. This doesn’t cause any blasts or anything, but it does set up the perfect reaction once sunlight reaches the panel. Once a photon (smallest part of the sunlight) gets to the PV cell, it excites the electron, which breaks free of the atomic bonding; electrons like this form the DC current which is generated by the solar panel. This effect is known as the PV or photovoltaic effect, and this is what essentially is the basis of the entire solar energy solution. The fact that light can release electrons from wafers within the solar panel to form a current. This is why in technical lingo, the solar energy systems are often called photovoltaic systems, named after the effect that actually produces the energy or the electricity.
Once this DC current gets to the inverter, it is then converted to AC (alternating current) by the solar inverter. This process is imperative; household appliances and devices use AC, and to make this energy usable, solar inverters do the real job.
Where does temperature come in then? Well, like it has been stated beforehand, temperature and the heat from the sunlight act as the catalyst; temperature is the real reason why solar panels operate at maximum efficiency, which could help explain why people think there is a direct correlation between sunlight and energy generation from solar panels; the sunlight itself has little to do with energy generation.
The more direct sunlight you get to the PV module, the higher the temperature on the surface of the panel, and therefore, more electricity will be generated. This is why you will always see solar panels mounted at such an angle that direct sunlight hits them when the sun is at the peak (i.e., noon and some part of the afternoon). The temperature at that time is the highest, and it contributes to the efficient functioning and power generation of the solar panel.
In conclusion
While the generation process of solar energy is simple enough, it may not be so easy to understand for some people, which is why we help explain the basic principle behind the solar panels generating the energy. This PV effect is what makes solar panels as effective and efficient as they are, and it is the PV effect that kickstarted this entire industry.
RS Energy: the best solar company in Karachi!
For the best hybrid solar energy solutions and complete solar energy systems in Pakistan, your partner for complete energy efficiency is RS Energy, the best solar energy company in Pakistan. We have comprehensive solutions and offer NOC-based services that keep you energised and keep your solar energy system always at its peak efficiency. Experience the best solar energy with RS Energy.