Solar power

Solar power

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.

Industry: Energy

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Solar power

Absorber

Energy; Solar power

In a photovoltaic device, the material that readily absorbs photons to generate charge carriers (free electrons or holes).

Nominal voltage

Energy; Solar power

A reference voltage used to describe batteries, modules, or systems (i.e., a 12-volt or 24-volt battery, module, or system).

Normal operating cell temperature (NOCT)

Energy; Solar power

The estimated temperature of a photovoltaic module when operating under 800 w/m2 irradiance, 20�C ambient temperature and wind speed of 1 metre per second. NOCT is used to estimate the nominal ...

N-type

Energy; Solar power

Negative semiconductor material in which there are more electrons than holes; current is carried through it by the flow of electrons.

N-type semiconductor

Energy; Solar power

A semiconductor produced by doping an intrinsic semiconductor with an electron-donor impurity (e.g., phosphorus in silicon).

National electrical code (NEC)

Energy; Solar power

Contains guidelines for all types of electrical installations. The 1984 and later editions of the NEC contain Article 690, "Solar Photovoltaic Systems" which should be followed when installing a PV ...