Solar 101
Introduction to Solar Panels and Solar Energy
How are solar panels made? How does a solar system work? Here's a primer on solar energy from one of the world's largest solar panel manufacturers.
How Solar Works
Make Your Roof a Power Plant
Rollover An Item
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Inverter
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Wiring
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Solar Panels
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Batteries
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Power Meter
You own the sun. Well, not exactly, but you do have the right to its power. Why not put it to good use? With solar technology, you can turn your rooftop into a power plant.
Most houses use AC power, but solar panels generate DC power. Enter the inverter: problem solved.
This allows the electricity to travel from the solar panels to the inverter and then into your house safely.
These elegant devices sit on your rooftop and turn sunlight directly into electricity without noise or emissions. How cool is that?
Want to go totally off-the-grid? With batteries you can store your own electricity, consume it when you want to, and say goodbye to electric bills! (Not required for grid-connected installations.)
Plugging your solar system into the power meter means flexibility. In some states, when you have extra solar energy, you may be able to share with your neighbors and earn a credit from your local utility.
A Timeline of
The History of Solar
200 B.C.
Archimedes
Legend holds that Archimedes, a Greek scientist, used a series of mirrors on the shoreline to concentrate the sun’s energy and set fire to incoming enemy ships.
More...1839
Photovoltaic Effect
A.E. Becquerel observed that shining light on certain materials would cause the creation of electric current. This was the launching point for photovoltaic technology.
More...1883
1st Solar Cell
Charles Fritts produces the world’s first solar cell, a device that converts sunlight into electricity, using selenium and gold. The cell’s efficiency was less than 1%, meaning than less than 1% of the light energy was converted into electricity.
More...1921
Photons
Albert Einstein is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his “discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.” Einstein was the first to postulate the existence of light quanta, now called photons, providing a theoretical foundation for modern PV technology.
More...1954
Commercial Solar
Silicon solar cells make their way into the mainstream market. The New York Times noted that the silicon cell could lead to “the harnessing of the almost limitless energy of the sun for the uses of civilization."
More...1958
Space Race
The space race between the U.S. and Russia sparks significant investments in solar technology. Some of the earliest man-made satellites, including Vanguard 1, were powered by photovoltaic cells.
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1985
20% Efficient Cells
A silicon solar cell breaks the 20% efficiency barrier. High-efficiency, low-cost silicon solar cells make their way into commercial production.
More...2000
1GW of Solar
Cumulative global solar installation passes 1GW, a critical turning point for our industry’s global development.
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2006
The Silicon Rush
Solar industry surpasses the computer industry as the largest consumer of high-purity silicon. Although this created a temporary silicon supply shortage, it sparked major industry investments that lowered the price of solar panels.
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2011
$1/Watt Solar Panels
The cost of high-quality silicon solar panels falls to roughly US$1 per watt, opening new markets around the world and driving a global energy revolution.
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2012
New Global Leader
Yingli Solar becomes the world's largest solar panel manufacturer, as global demand for solar panels grows to over 30GW per year.
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