STEM Marvels: Solar Panels

byAmrita Ganeriwalla

Solar panels supply us with solar energy. They are an assembly of photovoltaic cells, which are mounted in a framework for installation. Photovoltaics convert light into electricity with the help of certain semiconductor materials. In the case of solar panels, photovoltaics use sunlight as the light source to generate electricity.

Photovoltaic CellsPhotovoltaic cells are named for their ability to convert light (photons) to electricity (voltage). Some materials display the photoelectric effect due to which they absorb photons and release electrons. These free electrons generate electric current. The photoelectric effect was d