Shotwick Solar Park – What is solar PV and how does it work

Shotwick Solar Park – What is solar energy PV and how does it work

Photovoltaics (PV) is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect (whereby sunlight causes electron transfer across bands of material to produce voltage between two electrodes). 

Photovoltaic cells are tiles/panels with a blue/black glass-like appearance, built to exploit this process. 

Solar PV is growing rapidly from a small base, with over 100 countries now sourcing some of their power this way.

 Solar energy facts 

• 90% of the world’s solar cells are made of silicon.
• Silicon (or sand in its common form) is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust after oxygen.

The output of a single KW of solar energy is roughly equivalent to burning 77kg of coal – saving 136kg of carbon dioxide from polluting the atmosphere.