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

Electrode

Energy; Solar power

A conductor that is brought in conducting contact with a ground.

Thermophotovoltaic cell (TPV)

Energy; Solar power

A device where sunlight concentrated onto a absorber heats it to a high temperature, and the thermal radiation emitted by the absorber is used as the energy source for a photovoltaic cell that is ...

Single-crystal material

Energy; Solar power

A material that is composed of a single crystal or a few large crystals.

Single-crystal silicon

Energy; Solar power

Material with a single crystalline formation. Many photovoltaic cells are made from single-crystal silicon.

Current at maximum power (IMP)

Energy; Solar power

The current at which maximum power is available from a module.

Solar cooling

Energy; Solar power

The use of solar thermal energy or solar electricity to power a cooling appliance. Photovoltaic systems can power evaporative coolers ("swamp" coolers), heat-pumps, and air conditioners.

Dangling bonds

Energy; Solar power

A chemical bond associated with an atom on the surface layer of a crystal. The bond does not join with another atom of the crystal, but extends in the direction of exterior of the surface.