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Solar Cells

Solar cells are the building blocks of solar panels. Made from crystalline silicon, these cells are designed to act as semiconductors. Each cell creates a small amount of electricity, and when linked together in panels are capable of supplying enough voltage to operate nearly anything that runs on electricity.

Early photovoltaic solar cells, created in the 19th century, were not very efficient. However, the invention of silicon cells in the mid 20th century made solar energy much more feasible and gave rise to the modern photovoltaic industry. Since that time, technology has made these cells even more efficient and capable of much higher voltages, further increasing the demand for solar energy.

A third generation of solar cells is currently being developed by a number of manufacturers. The goal is to increase the efficiency of these cells by as much as sixty percent, thereby creating a truly viable alternative to fossil fuel-based energy sources.

 

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