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

Add a new term

Contributors in Solar power

Become a Contributors

Solar power

Band gap

Energy; Solar power

In a semiconductor, the energy difference between the highest valence band and the lowest conduction band.

Pulse-width-modulated (PWM) wave inverter

Energy; Solar power

A type of power inverter that produce a high quality (nearly sinusoidal) voltage, at minimum current harmonics.

Battery cycle life

Energy; Solar power

The number of cycles, to a specified depth of discharge, that a cell or battery can undergo before failing to meet its specified capacity or efficiency performance criteria.

Rated power

Energy; Solar power

Rated power of the inverter. However, some units can not produce rated power continuously. See duty rating.

Battery energy capacity

Energy; Solar power

The total energy available, expressed in watt-hours (kilowatt-hours), which can be withdrawn from a fully charged cell or battery. The energy capacity of a given cell varies with temperature, rate, ...

Battery

Energy; Solar power

Two or more electrochemical cells enclosed in a container and electrically interconnected in an appropriate series/parallel arrangement to provide the required operating voltage and current levels. ...