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

Charge rate

Energy; Solar power

The current applied to a cell or battery to restore its available capacity. This rate is commonly normalised by a charge control device with respect to the rated capacity of the cell or battery.

Series controller

Energy; Solar power

A charge controller that interrupts the charging current by open-circuiting the photovoltaic (PV) array. The control element is in series with the PV array and battery.

Chemical vapour deposition (CVD)

Energy; Solar power

A method of depositing thin semiconductor films used to make certain types of photovoltaic devices. With this method, a substrate is exposed to one or more vaporised compounds, one or more of which ...

Btu (british thermal unit)

Energy; Solar power

The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit; equal to 252 calories.

Resistive voltage drop

Energy; Solar power

The voltage developed across a cell by the current flow through the resistance of the cell.

Bypass diode

Energy; Solar power

A diode connected across one or more solar cells in a photovoltaic module such that the diode will conduct if the cell(s) become reverse biased. It protects these solar cells from thermal destruction ...