By V.

NARESH KUMAR

Photovoltaic's are best known as a method for generating electric power by using solar cells to convert energy from the sun into electricity The photovoltaic effect refers to photons of light knocking electrons into a higher state of energy to create electricity The term photovoltaic denotes the unbiased operating mode of a photodiode in which current through the device is entirely due to transduced light energy

Photovoltaic system

Typical output of a module (~30 cells) is 15 V, with 1.5 A current

Copper Indium Diselinide CIS with band gap 1eV, high absorption coefficient 105cm-1 High efficiency levels PROS 18% laboratory efficiency >11% module efficiency CONS Immature manufacturing process Slow vacuum process

Solar cells produce direct current electricity from light, which can be used to power equipment or to recharge a battery. The first practical application of photovoltaic's was to power orbiting satellites and other spacecraft, but today majority of photovoltaic modules are used for grid connected power generation

Silicon deposited in a continuous on a base material such as glass, metal or polymers Thin-film crystalline solar cell consists of layers about 10m thick compared with 200300m layers for crystalline silicon cells

PROS Low cost substrate and fabrication process CONS Not very stable

Power stations In buildings In transport Standalone devices Rural electrification Solar roadways