Photovoltaic (FV) is a method for generating electrical energy by converting light radiation (sunlight energy) into direct current electricity using semiconductors.
The semiconductors used are only those that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. The photovoltaic effect is the creation of a voltage (or electric current) on a material that is exposed to sunlight.
Photovoltaic power plants use solar panels consisting of a number of photovoltaic materials. Materials currently used as photovoltaics consist of monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride and copper indium selenide/sulfide.
Utilization of Photovoltaic
Solar energy is abundant and "unlimited" makes photovoltaic a promising new energy source. The following are some photovoltaic applications that already exist today.
Power Plants
As of December 2010, the world's largest photovoltaic power plants are the Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant (Canada, 97 Mega Watts), Montalto di Castro Photovoltaic Power Station (Italy, 84.2 MW), Finsterwalde Solar Park (Germany, 80.7 MW), Rovigo Photovoltaic Power Plant (Italy, 70 MW), Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park (Spain, 60 MW), the Traiskirchen Solar Park (Germany, 54 MW), and the Lieberose Photovoltaic Park (Germany, 53 MW).
Transport
FVhas long been used as a power source in outer space. FV is rarely used to generate propulsion in transport, but has been widely used as an auxiliary power provider for boats and cars. However, solar-powered cars have begun to be developed at this time.
Specialty Tools
For a decade, FVs have often been used as a power source for the newest calculators and electronic equipment. The development of integrated circuits (ICs) and low-power LCD screens has made FP possible as a substitute for batteries as a power source.
FV has also now been used as part of water pumps, emergency telephones, and remote signals and postal guards.
Rural Electricity
For a country that is large and has islands and has a remote area that geographically would be difficult to electrify, FV is a promising technology.
It only takes sufficient sunlight and a few solar panels, so electricity can be used after waiting for a while. No need for hundreds of meters of cables and power poles.
What is Light?
Light is part of electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye and plays a role in the sense of sight (the eye can see due to the reflection of light from objects into the eye).
Visible light has wavelengths ranging from 380 or 400 nm (nanometers, equivalent to a billionth of a meter) to 760 or 780 nm with frequencies ranging from 405 THz (tera Hertz, equivalent to a trillion Hertz) to 790 THz.
In physics, the term light is not just what is visible to the eye, but all radiation that lies between infrared (lower frequency) and ultraviolet (higher frequency) radiation.
The main properties of light are intensity, deflection of direction, frequency and wavelength, polarization and phase. Light has a speed of 300,000 kilometers per second in a vacuum.
Light exists in tiny "packets" called photons, which exhibit both wave and light properties. This property refers to the duality of light as a wave-particle.