Solar panels harness the photoelectric effect to produce electricity from sunlight. Thousands of photovoltaic cells made primarily of silicon, along with additives like phosphorus, are connected together in solar panels to convert light into direct current electricity. While solar energy is one of the most abundant renewable resources, solar panels do not generate power at night without sunlight, but batteries can store excess energy from daylight hours for use when the sun is down.

1. Solar Panels
It’s an elegant collision; under the right circumstances, waves of photons (distributed by
the sun’s rays) are able to knock electrons from an atom’s orbit through the photoelectric effect.
This phenomenon is currently harnessed to produce electricity as electrons travel through a
maze-like infrastructure made of photovoltaic cells. Thousands of photovoltaic cells are
connected to each other to compose the solar panels that make up energy-efficient homes.
Most of the solar panels that are available on the market are made of silicon; that’s because
silicon makes excellent semi-conductors. Additionally, the silicon-made panels have an
additional chemical ingredient such as phosphorous; together, the silicon and phosphorous makes
it easier for electrons to move freely through the various channels to produce a current. Direct
current is converted into alternating current electricity.
Because the electricity that is generated by solar panels comes from sun, it serves as one of
the greatest renewable sources of energy there is. However, there is a drawback. Solar panels
won’t work during the night when there is no longer a steady supply of photons to create a
current for electricity. A great solution to that are solar panel batteries. A battery storage will
store up the excess energy so that it can be tapped into as needed. Solar panels are an excellent
way of transitioning to a future that prioritizes renewable forms of energy.