What Are Solar PV Panels?

Take a look around your neighbourhood and the chances are you’ll notice more than a few properties that have solar panels fitted on their roofs. There’s no question that home solar panels have been widely adopted over the last few years, but what exactly are they and how do they work? This article should shed some light on solar panels.

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are made up of a series of photovoltaic cells connected together. These cells collect energy from the sun which can be converted into electricity. Although solar power is often considered to be a very modern concept, the photovoltaic effect was first described by Charles Fritts as far back as 1883.

It has taken a long time for solar energy to come into the mainstream because early solar PV panels were extremely inefficient. However, further research has enabled solar panels to become more efficient over time. Modern panels using solar PV are able to convert around 20% of the sun’s energy into electricity, and it is expected that future panels will be able to convert 40%

The average system of solar panels can generate up to 2500 kilowatt hours of electricity every year. That amounts to around three quarters of a typical family’s yearly electricity needs. Solar panels are also extremely easy to maintain. All you have to do is simply clean them regularly and make sure that trees don’t overshadow them, and they should last for 25 years or more.