What is Photovoltaic Systems?

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What is Photovoltaic Systems?

A photovoltaic system, also called a PV system, is composed of one or more solar panels combined with an inverter and other electrical and mechanical hardware, that use energy from the Sun to generate electricity.

PV systems can vary greatly in size from small rooftop or portable systems, to massive utility-scale generation plants.

Although PV systems can operate by themselves as off-grid PV systems, let us focus on systems connected to the utility grid, called grid-tied PV systems.

How do these Systems Work?

The light from the Sun, made up of packets of energy called photons, falls onto a solar panel and creates an electric current through a process called the photovoltaic effect.

Each panel produces a relatively small amount of energy, but can be linked together with other panels to produce higher amounts of energy as a solar array.

The electricity produced from a solar panel (or array) is in the form of direct current, called DC.

Although many electronic devices use DC electricity, including your phone or laptop, they are designed to operate using the electrical utility grid which provides (and requires) alternating current, AC current.

Therefore, in order for the solar electricity to be useful it must first be converted from DC to AC using an inverter.

This AC electricity from the inverter can then be used to power electronics locally, or be feed back into the electrical grid for use elsewhere.

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