Photovoltaic energy for heating

Discovered by Becquerel in 1839, the photovoltaic effect is the foundation of solar power generation. The principle is to convert part of the sun's radiation, i.e. photon energy, into electricity.

Advances in the semiconductor industry have led to the industrial development of this technique. To generate an electric current in a semiconductor, it is necessary to supply it with energy greater than the value of the gap, thus extracting electrons from the valence band and moving them into the conduction band. The outgoing electron leaves a vacant hole, which is filled by another electron, which in turn releases another hole: a current is thus established.

Today, silicon cell and other thin-film technologies, as well as doping techniques for these materials, are well mastered and increasingly efficient. Research is focused on optimizing yields, lowering manufacturing costs and reducing environmental impact.