The Petersen-Dean Gallery

HOW DOES SOLAR WORK:

Solar Energy has come a long way since 1954 when Bell Laboratories invented the first photovoltaic (PV) cell, yet the basic principles of solar technology remain largely the same. Solar cells are made of thin layers of pure crystalline silicon, the same material that makes up semi-conductor chips in computers. When sunlight strikes the PV cells embedded in the modules, electrons are released, generating direct electrical current. This direct current (DC) is channeled though copper wire down into your utility box, converted to alternating current (AC), and connected to your electrical meter.

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