- When the sun shines on a solar panel, solar energy is absorbed by individual PV cells in the panel. These cells are made from layers of semi-conducting material, most commonly silicon.
- The PV cells produce an electrical charge as they become energised by the sunlight.
- This electrical charge creates a direct current (DC) of electricity.
- The current passes through an inverter to turn it into alternating current (AC) electricity. This is the kind of current needed for household appliances.
The cells don’t need direct sunlight to work and can even work on cloudy days. However, the stronger the sunshine, the more electricity generated
Solar panel systems tend to be made up of between six and 12 panels, with each panel generating around 400 to 450W of energy in strong sunlight.