Photovoltaic electricity - Principles

Photovoltaic power generation, based on the conversion of sunlight, has been expanding rapidly for the past two decades. Its share of the global energy mix in 2050 will certainly be significant, given the scarcity and/or pollution of other resources.

This first dossier [BE 8 578v2], dedicated to the production of electricity by converting sunlight using solar cells, provides the reader with a basic understanding of the principles of photovoltaic conversion, including notions of the energy transmitted by the sun, as well as a few elements of semiconductor physics and the main mechanisms of electrical charge transport. Knowledge of the fundamental electrical characteristics (voltage, current and conversion efficiency) of the photovoltaic device and its use as a current generator (light-to-electricity converter) are necessary for a rapid assessment of the dimensioning of a photovoltaic installation.

In the following dossier [BE 8 579v2] , we look at the different photovoltaic device production processes, from the conventional cell (based on bulk silicon) to thin-film technology, as well as the potential of other binary, ternary and organic semiconductor materials.