To the untrained, solar energy is nothing short of a miracle. Simply taking in sunlight and churning out electricity in an efficient manner is the end goal of any renewable energy enthusiast, and the fact that solar energy has come a long way and still continues to grow at a rapid pace is very admirable and encouraging for the environment and the renewable energy landscape. The actual process behind energizing solar, the photovoltaic effect, isn’t too commonly known and understood and is still shrouded in mystery for many. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the photovoltaic cell and understand its many facets.

We’ll also be tackling the question of what the difference is between a solar and a photovoltaic cell, alongside exploring the best solar panel supplier in UAE, Beacon Energy.

Let’s start with the photovoltaic effect and then progress onto the photovoltaic cell.

The photovoltaic (PV) effect

Discovered in 1839 by Edmond Becquerel, the photovoltaic effect is a process that ‘generates electricity, current or voltage in a cell when the apparatus is exposed to sunlight. This effect uses a semiconductor like silicon to create a flow of electrons after the sunlight excites the electron in the junction located within the cell. This flow of electrons is essentially the electricity that is generated from the solar panel when a large number of solar cells are located in a wafer within a solar panel.

PV cell: The particulars

The basic building block of a solar panel, the PV cell operates on the photovoltaic effect, and is solely responsible for utilising the solar energy to convert it into electricity, in the form of direct current or DC power. While on its own, a singular PV cell can generate around 0.5 to 0.6 volts of electricity, but since an entire solar panel has a lot of them within a singular wafer-like structure, this makes solar panels incredibly power efficient and able to generate voltage that can run households.

What is a PV cell made out of?

While silicon is the most popular and common element to make solar cells out of, due to its excellent ability of semi-conductivity, solar cells and by extension solar panels are also made out of other metals like cadmium and compounds like gallium arsenide.

Silicon is popular because it is an abundant element, found commonly on the crust of the earth, whereas its semi-conductivity provides for an excellent basis of the PV effect.

What is the peak efficiency of a PV cell?

The peak efficiency of a solar cell and by extension a solar panel can be around 33 per cent, which is a ballpark estimate of how much efficient the leading solar panels, like those from Canadian Solar, are.

PV cells: The factors for power generation

In the case of power generation, PV cells are dependent on a few factors, which primarily include sunlight. Let’s look at a few more factors to fully understand the functioning of a PV cell and how it may affect generation potential.

i. Sunlight

The primary factor, considering that PV cells require sunlight to release a stream of electrons. The more concentrated the sunlight is, or the stronger it is, the better the energy generation potential will be.

ii. Weather

Cloudy weather, extreme cold involving snow or dew can also affect the generation potential of a PV cell, since sunlight won’t be utilized as much as would have been in ideal conditions. Furthermore, cloudy days simply cut off a huge portion of the sunlight, wherein reduced generation is usually seen.

iii. System design, capacity

The PV cell is dependent on the design and the capacity of the module in generating electricity. While some might generate a normal flow of electrons, specialized high-efficiency solar panels using high-output PV cells are also available and boast a better efficiency over regular PV cells.

Is there any difference between PV and solar cells?

Both are essentially the same thing. Photovoltaic cells use the PV effect and are specifically used in solar applications since they require sunlight for energy generation. As such, these names can be considered technically interchangeable, however, since solar rolls off the tongue easily, it is commonly known as solar cell and by extension, a solar panel.

The best solar panels in UAE: Beacon Energy

Solar panels boast some of the most cutting-edge technology in the world of renewable energy, and nowhere is it more evident than with the best solar panels, especially in UAE, a region fast becoming a hotspot for solar. One of the foremost solar energy companies in UAE, Beacon Energy has teamed up with world-renowned manufacturer of solar panels, Canadian Solar, for the provision of high-efficiency, high-output solar panels in the region. Leveraging Beacon Energy’s commitment to delivery excellence and Canadian Solar’s research and development into newer, better PV equipment, experience the best of solar energy in UAE.