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Photovoltaic System: Camilo Peñaranda Rincon 1092156401

A photovoltaic (PV) system converts sunlight into electricity through solar panels and an inverter. It can include a single solar panel for small, portable use or large utility-scale arrays. A PV system is connected to the electric grid to provide and receive power. Solar panels each produce a small amount of electricity but can be linked together. The inverter converts the direct current from the panels to alternating current for use in homes and distribution on the electric grid. A solar panel consists of multiple solar cells encapsulated in protective material that convert sunlight into electricity through the photovoltaic effect. Most panels worldwide use crystalline silicon cells.

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58 views3 pages

Photovoltaic System: Camilo Peñaranda Rincon 1092156401

A photovoltaic (PV) system converts sunlight into electricity through solar panels and an inverter. It can include a single solar panel for small, portable use or large utility-scale arrays. A PV system is connected to the electric grid to provide and receive power. Solar panels each produce a small amount of electricity but can be linked together. The inverter converts the direct current from the panels to alternating current for use in homes and distribution on the electric grid. A solar panel consists of multiple solar cells encapsulated in protective material that convert sunlight into electricity through the photovoltaic effect. Most panels worldwide use crystalline silicon cells.

Uploaded by

Camilo Peñaranda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CAMILO PEÑARANDA RINCON 1092156401

Photovoltaic system

Figure 1. A photovoltaic system comprised of a solar panel array, inverter and other electrical
hardware.[1]

A photovoltaic (PV) system is composed of one or more solar panels combined


with an inverter and other electrical and mechanical hardware that use energy from
the Sun to generate electricity. PV systems can vary greatly in size from small
rooftop or portable systems to massive utility-scale generation plants. Although PV
systems can operate by themselves as off-grid PV systems, this article focuses on
systems connected to the utility grid, or grid-tied PV systems.

How do these Systems Work?

The light from the Sun, made up of packets of energy called photons, falls onto
a solar panel and creates an electric current through a process called
the photovoltaic effect. Each panel produces a relatively small amount of energy, but
can be linked together with other panels to produce higher amounts of energy as
a solar array. The electricity produced from a solar panel (or array) is in the form
of direct current (DC). Although many electronic devices use DC electricity, including
your phone or laptop, they are designed to operate using the electrical utility
grid which provides (and requires) alternating current (AC). Therefore, in order for
the solar electricity to be useful it must first be converted from DC to AC using
an inverter. This AC electricity from the inverter can then be used to power
electronics locally, or be sent on to the electrical grid for use elsewhere.

Elsewhere: adverb : en otro lugar

Solar Panel
main article

Figure 3. A solar panel, consisting of many photovoltaic cells.[4]

A solar panel consists of many solar cells with semiconductor properties


encapsulated within a material to protect it from the environment. These
properties enable the cell to capture light, or more specifically, the photons from
the sun and convert their energy into useful electricity through a process called
the photovoltaic effect. On either side of the semiconductor is a layer of
conducting material which "collects" the electricity produced. The illuminated side
of the panel also contains an anti-reflection coating to minimize the losses due
to reflection. The majority of solar panels produced worldwide are made from
crystalline silicon, which has a theoretical efficiency limit of 33% for converting
the Sun's energy into electricity. Many other semiconductor materials and solar
cell technologies have been developed that operate at higher efficiencies, but
these come with a higher cost to manufacture.
Worldwide : adjetivo
Encapsulated : verbs past
Electrocution :noun: electrocusion

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