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

Activation voltage

Energy; Solar power

The voltage(s) at which a charge controller will take action to protect the batteries.

Ampere hour metre

Energy; Solar power

An instrument that monitors current with time. The indication is the product of current (in amperes) and time (in hours).

Pocket plate

Energy; Solar power

A plate for a battery in which active materials are held in a perforated metal pocket.

Angle of incidence

Energy; Solar power

The angle that a ray of sun makes with a line perpendicular to the surface. For example, a surface that directly faces the sun has a solar angle of incidence of zero, but if the surface is parallel ...

Point-contact cell

Energy; Solar power

A high efficiency silicon photovoltaic concentrator cell that employs light trapping techniques and point-diffused contacts on the rear surface for current collection.

Photovoltaic (PV) effect

Energy; Solar power

The phenomenon that occurs when photons, the "particles" in a beam of light, knock electrons loose from the atoms they strike. When this property of light is combined with the properties of ...