Solar panels silently convert light into electricity. They have no moving parts, require little maintenance and are designed to last for many years.
Solar panels use the “photovoltaic effect”, discovered by Edmund Becquerel in 1839, to produce electricity directly from sunlight. Solar panels work best in direct sunshine, but they also work well on a cloudy day.
Photovoltaic cells are made of very pure semiconductor grade silicon, the most common element in the Earth's crust, similar to that used in computer chips. Electricity is produced as photons of sunlight penetrate the silicon, bumping electrons into a flow. PV cells are connected together to make a module. Modules are the building blocks connected together to make an array. The photovoltaic effect produces DC (Direct Current) electricity. This DC power is converted to AC (Alternating Current) electricity to match the American standards of AC frequency and voltage. The conversion is made by an important system component called the inverter. The array and inverter are engineered for efficiency and compatibility. The AC electricity can then be used to power your home, school or business. Energy you don't use is credited to you as it passes through your utility meter and into the utility grid. This is known as net-metering.
