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

Ispra guidelines

Energy; Solar power

Guidelines for the assessment of photovoltaic power plants, published by the Joint Research Centre of the Commission of the European Communities, Ispra, Italy.

Incident light

Energy; Solar power

Light that shines onto the face of a solar cell or module.

Indium oxide

Energy; Solar power

A wide band gap semiconductor that can be heavily doped with tin to make a highly conductive, transparent thin film. Often used as a front contact or one component of a heterojunction solar cell.

Infrared radiation

Energy; Solar power

Electromagnetic radiation whose wavelengths lie in the range from 0.75 micrometre to 1000 micrometers; invisible long wavelength radiation (heat) capable of producing a thermal or photovoltaic ...

Input voltage

Energy; Solar power

This is determined by the total power required by the alternating current loads and the voltage of any direct current loads. Generally, the larger the load, the higher the inverter input voltage. ...

Insolation

Energy; Solar power

The solar power density incident on a surface of stated area and orientation, usually expressed as Watts per square metre or Btu per square foot per hour. See diffuse insolation and direct ...