Article | REF: BE8578 V2

Photovoltaic electricity - Principles

Author: Abdelilah SLAOUI

Publication date: January 10, 2013, Review date: March 2, 2020

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ABSTRACT

The production of photovoltaic electricity, based on the conversion of sunlight has been in full development for two decades. Photovoltaic devices and their use as power generators are presented along with theoretical explanations concerning solar energy. This article concludes with a practical question: what photovoltaic installation design will meet the needs of a family of four? Data concerning daylight hours in the region of residence must be taken into consideration.

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AUTHOR

  • Abdelilah SLAOUI: Research Director - Engineering, Computer Science and Imaging Laboratory (ICUBE), CNRS and University of Strasbourg

 INTRODUCTION

Photovoltaic power generation, based on the conversion of sunlight, has been expanding rapidly for the past two decades. Its share of the global energy mix in 2050 will certainly be significant, given the scarcity and/or pollution of other resources.

This first dossier [BE 8 578v2], dedicated to the production of electricity by converting sunlight using solar cells, provides the reader with a basic understanding of the principles of photovoltaic conversion, including notions of the energy transmitted by the sun, as well as a few elements of semiconductor physics and the main mechanisms of electrical charge transport. Knowledge of the fundamental electrical characteristics (voltage, current and conversion efficiency) of the photovoltaic device and its use as a current generator (light-to-electricity converter) are necessary for a rapid assessment of the dimensioning of a photovoltaic installation.

In the following dossier [BE 8 579v2] , we look at the different photovoltaic device production processes, from the conventional cell (based on bulk silicon) to thin-film technology, as well as the potential of other binary, ternary and organic semiconductor materials.

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Photovoltaic electricity