June 2001 IBEW Journal 
Photovoltaic System
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What Are Solar Cells? |
- Thin wafers of silicon
- similar to computer chips
- much bigger
- much cheaper!
- Silicon is abundant (sand)
- Light carries energy into cells
- Cells convert sunlight energy into electric currentthey do
not store energy
- Sunlight is the fuel
How solar Cells Change sunlight Into Electricity |
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- Light knocks loose electrons from silicon atoms
- Freed electrons have extra energy, or voltage
- Internal electric field pushes electrons to front of cell
- Electric current flows on to other cells or to the load
- Cells never run out of electrons
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