SOLAR CELLS (Photovoltaic Cell)

Solar cells, also called photovoltaic (PV) cells by scientists, convert sunlight directly into
electricity. PV gets its name from the process of converting light (photons) to electricity
(voltage), which is called the PV effect.
Main Elements of PV system:
1234-

PV Generator
Charge Regulator
Inverter
Battery System

PV Generator:
The main element of the system that converts sunlight into electrical energy is PV
Generator. Electrically connected solar modules make up a PV generator, which
generates electrical power dependent on insolation and temperature. The output of a
solar generator is therefore not only determined by the efficiency of its modules, but
also by how well those modules exploit the strength and spectrum of the insolation, and
how they react to the module temperature.

In 1950s, PV Generator had about 4% efficiency and today it is about 15% system
efficiency. Its efficiency is calculated according to 1000 W/m2 of energy is emitted by
the sun.

The photovoltaic effect in solar cells can be used to generate power in several ways.
Solar cells are made from a variety of different materials, with cSi being the most
common.

The table given below shows the different efficiency levels of different materials used for
making up the solar cell.

Cell material

Module
efficiency

Surface area
needed for 1 kWp

Heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer

(HIT)

1819%

~5.5 m

Rear contact cell

17-20%

56 m

Monocrystalline silicon

1518%

5.56.5 m

Polycrystalline silicon

1316%

68 m

Thin-film copper-indium/galliumsulfur/diselenide (CI/GS/Se)

1115%

79 m

Thin-film cadmium telluride (CdTe)

1113%

7.59 m

Micromorphous tandem cell (a-Si/cSi)

810%

1012.5 m

Amorphous silicon (a-Si)

58%

12.520 m

Submitted ByAyush Jain (1303335005)