The technology for transforming energy from the Sun for human use is one of the most notable innovations in recent history, since it is a renewable alternative to fossil fuels, despite its shortcomings. But how does a solar panel work?
Briefly explaining it, a solar panel works by allowing photons or light particles to hit the electrons to free them from the atoms, thus generating a flow of electricity. Actually, solar panels are made up of many small units called photovoltaic cells or solar cells. Photovoltaic cells are responsible for transforming light energy into electrical energy through the photoelectric effect. In this way, many cells connected to each other form a solar panel.
Photovoltaic cells are covered by a semiconductor material r (almost always crystalline silicon), the same material that is used in other fields such as microelectronics. In addition, for photovoltaic cells to work it is necessary to create an electric field. Electric fields are produced when opposite charges separate, that is, positive and negative charges. Therefore, to achieve this field, manufacturers add other materials to silicon to achieve a certain charge.
Positive and negative charges
Among other materials, professionals add phosphorous to the top layer of silicon. This gives you additional electrons with a negative charge. On the other hand, the lower layer receives a dose of boron. It produces fewer electrons and a positive charge. In this way it is achieved that the solar cells t connect two charges and, therefore, can generate electricity.
When a photon in sunlight releases an electron, the electric field sends it out of the silicon, allowing the electrons to be converted into electrical energy. In addition, solar panels are metal conductors, so at that point the energy is transferred to the cables and flows like any other source of electricity.
Other types of solar energy
Currently we can find many types of solar energy, such as solar thermal energy or concentrated solar energy (CSP). However, although they work differently from photovoltaic solar panels, they all take advantage of solar energy both to produce electricity and to heat water or air.
