How solar panels work

Here’s a step-by-step overview of how solar panel systems turn energy from the sun into usable electricity for your home or business:

1

During the day, solar cells in your solar panels absorb the energy from sunlight; 


2

Circuits within the cells collect that energy and turn it into direct current (DC) energy;


3

The DC electricity is passed through a device called an inverter to convert it to the usable alternating current (AC) electricity that comes out of your wall outlets; 

4

Then, you can use that electricity in your home, store it with a solar battery, or send it back to the grid.

Key parts of a solar panel system

• Solar panels: convert solar energy into electricity
• Inverters: convert DC electricity from solar panels into usable AC electricity
• Racking and mounting systems: affix your solar panels to your roof or land
• Performance monitoring systems: track and monitor the output and performance of your system.

Solar panel components & the photovoltaic effect

A solar panel is made up of silicon cells, a metal frame, a glass casing unit, and wiring to transfer electric current from the silicon. Silicon is a conductive element that converts sunlight into electricity. When light hits a silicon cell in a solar panel, the light causes electrons in the silicon to be set in motion, initiating a flow of electric current. 

Learn more about how solar works