Quick guide to Photovoltaics (PV)
Demand for renewable energy sources means the manufacture of solar cells and
PV arrays has increased dramatically: PV production has doubled every two years, increasing by an average 48% each year since 2002, making PV the world’s fastest-growing energy technology.
How you benefit
PV technology helps you to generate clean energy and generate sustained ROI—through lower energy bills and financial incentives from government
How it works:
Solar panels have photovoltaic material that converts solar radiation into electricity. Materials used for PV include monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon and microcrystalline silicon. The photovoltaic effect refers to photons of light knocking electrons into a higher state of energy to create the electricity.
Roughly 90% of the generating capacity created by PV arrays consists of grid-connected electrical systems. Such installations can be ground-mounted or built into a roof or walls of a building, known as Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV).
The key benefits of solar PV from CGE include:
- Fast, easy and clean to install – in whatever location makes most sense, typically on roof spaces
- No additional costly, intrusive and energy-inefficient plumbing and pipework required - plus no flues, floor space or fuel handling
- Reliable – maintenance free
The world’s fastest-growing technology:
The first practical application of photovoltaics was for orbiting satellites and other spacecraft. Today, PV modules are mainly used for grid-connected power generation, with an inverter needed to convert the current from DC to useable AC .
