What is Photovoltaic?
Photovoltaic is the conversion from sunlight in electricity (electrical energy). The definition „photovoltaic“ comes from the Greece-word photon = light, and from the italian professor Volta (physicist), as unit of measure for electrical power in volt.
Photovoltaic-generators (panels / modules, inverters, cables a. s. o.) make use of direct and diffuse share of the sunshine. The production of the electrical power using solar-cells is possible everywhere, where the sun shines. For areas outside the supply-network, the creation of solar power is already economical today!
Did you know?
In the beginning this technology was developed for space-satellites, but than people recognize, how important photovoltaic will be for producing electricity in future.
How does it work?
Solar-cells exist of particularly treat semiconductors and will produced from silicon. The semiconductors are different: multi-/polycrysatalline, monocrystalline and amorphous. The basic of silicon is quartz-sand.
A solarmodule/-panel exists from many solar-cells (normally 72 / 36 cells). If sunlight is falling to a solar-cell, it will produce electrical power. The power of the cells depends of the intensity by the sunshine – “more light, more power“!
The areas for photovoltaic-generators (roofs or grounds), shall have a good sunshine situation and placed in direction to the south. Each year the sun will send 10.000 times more energy, as we need worldwide on the earth. Solar electricity is clean, there is no exhaust gas pollution!
How long is the lifetime?
The life of a photovoltaic-panel is more than 30 years. The producer gives a power-guarantee of 80 % after 25 years. The solar-cells work out of limit.
The effectiveness of a solar-cell will be between 8 – 18 %, it depends on quality and type of the cells (crystalline or amorpheus). More than 50 % of the effectiveness are lost by reflection.
