Solar energy

THEsolar energy comes from the sun's rays and is one of the main renewable energy alternatives to classic fossil fuels.

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This energy can be exploited from two points of view: heat and photovoltaic effect.

• The use of solar heat is usually used for domestic use, to heat water through solar thermal panels.
  
  
• The photovoltaic effect, on the other hand, uses the ultraviolet component of the sun's rays to produce electricity. This is possible thanks to the property of semiconductor materials, which convert photon energy into a flow of electrons. The practical realization of this energy transformation are photovoltaic panels, consisting internally of a network of cells made of semiconductor material, which carry out this energy conversion process.
  
  

Le photovoltaic cells they generate direct current that can be used to charge batteries, which in turn power devices with direct current. However, because almost all devices use alternating current, inverters are required to convert direct current to alternating current.

The power of photovoltaic modules is defined by several factors, including: their size, the radiation intensity (calculated in W/m², which varies geographically and is necessarily linked to the day-night cycle) and the angle between the beam and the arrangement of the panel (ideally 90°). Their efficiency varies depending on the technology. Ultramodern modules reach about 20%, the average efficiency is about 15%.