Solar energy is fueled by the sunlight that shines every single day, making it a renewable source of energy that will never run out unlike fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas. Solar photovoltaics, or PV for short, turn sunshine (“photons’’) directly into electricity (“voltage”) through a scientific phenomenon known as the photovoltaic effect. The basic unit of a solar panel is a solar cell, made out of silicon wafers similar to those in computer chips. These cells are assembled into solar modules, which in turn are connected together in rectangular solar panels – which you’ll probably recognize as an increasingly familiar sight on rooftops everywhere!
