Questions tagged [solar-cells]
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Why can solar cells be made of indirect and direct semiconductors? (Comparison between some pn-junction devices)
Various textbooks mention, but not go into detail, how semiconductor devices are optimized for their particular function. E-k space is trascendental to understand this, given that it depends on the ...
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In the diode equation, why the exponential $\exp$ and the ideality factor $n$ are there? What do they represent & what is their significance?
In the Shockley diode equation, why the exponential $\exp$ and the ideality factor $n$ are there? What do they represent & what is their significance?
I have to work on Solar Photovoltaics, and ...
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Where does the electricity, generated by a solar panel, go if you don't use the electricity?
I'm sorry if this question is too trivial for this Q&A forum. I am a layman when it comes to physics (though I did cover the high-school physics courses).
I was wondering what happens to the ...
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Increasing the efficiency of solar cell systems
As far as I know, there are currently two main approaches to utilising solar radiation for maximum energy conversion to electricity. These are either direct conversion to electricity, using ...
user74893
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Why don't solar panels contribute to global warming?
I've been wondering this for a while but I have not yet encountered an explanation.
This is from my understanding of physics, which is by no means expert, so sorry for my crude explanation:
Energy ...
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Is plant photosynthesis more efficient than solar panels?
Is photosynthesis more efficient than solar panels? If so, by how much?
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What kind of engine is a photovoltaic solar cell?
I have read several times here (on PSE) and there (in Google) that photovoltaic solar cells aren't heat engines. I.e. they are not working via a heat transfer between 2 reservoirs, and so they are not ...
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What is the most efficient Organic Photovoltaic solar cell?
Preferably one that is researched in a paper, not necessarily in production.
I have found various claims of OPVs with an efficiency of 10%, 8% and 7.3%, the only one I can substantiate is referenced ...
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Doubt about the working principle of a silicon solar cell
I'm studying crystalline solar cell and their working principle, but I still don't completely understand the process.
First of all, I understand that we dope a pure crystalline silicon with boron and ...
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Solar panels that also work at night?
This was first proposed in a scientific study from 2019. Essentially, the idea is that the solar cell generates power from the heat it radiates at night. That study claimed a theoretical maximum ...
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How much solar energy hits a rooftop in Israel?
I was asked to today about the available plans (in Israel) to install photo-voltaic receptors on the roof and sell the energy. This is a legitimate plan and there are several companies that do this. ...
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How far from the Sun is a photovoltaic effective?
Just what the title states.
Photovoltaic cells convert incident light to electricity; this probably means they create less electricity when it is dark - as in deep space.
How far can a solar cell ...
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In solar cells, do photons break apart electron-hole pairs, or create them?
Some sources say that when a photon hits the PV cell, it breaks apart electron-hole pairs. Other sources say that photons create electron-hole pairs. Can anyone explain which one is right? I've read ...
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Why not use our own light production to produce new energy instead of wasting it?
Why don't we use our own light production at night (I mean home, buildings, streets,..., lighting) to charge photovoltaic panels instead of wasting it?
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By what maximum amount can we concentrate sunlight?
This refers to a previous question re: Solar Cell Systems and as part of the answer the statement:
If we concentrated sunlight to [the] maximum amount 42600× was given.
My questions are:
By what ...
user74893
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Why don’t illuminated series connected (photo-)diodes bias each other?
When you connect, let's say, three photodiodes or solar cells, with a load, and you measure the voltage across the middle photodiode. Will the voltage change if
the adjacent cells are in the dark
if ...
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How does a photon drive out the electrons in a solar cell?
We know that solar cells work when a photon hits the n-type the photon's energy drives free the electrons in the n-type to generate a current. But we also know that when a photon hits the atoms it ...
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Do III-V based photovoltaics "glow" (photo-luminesce) when illuminated but not loaded?
In this nice answer I started to learn about how the silicon photovoltaics cells on the International Space Station are managed. In that case, the cells are generally either delivering useful power to ...
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This spinning solar cell advertises a 20x efficiency improvement. How?
Video: These Spinning Solar Cells Generate 20 Times More Power Than Traditional Panels.
I am sceptical because commercial panels have an efficiency of 15-20% and research panels are even better:
How ...
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Is it feasible to convert the energy of gamma-photons from gamma-emitting nuclear isomers into electrical power?
It is known that gamma rays emitted by nuclear isomers, naturally occurring or manufactured, carry huge amounts of energy. Co-60 for example decays into the isomeric state of Ni-60 by $\beta ^-$ ...
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Sonomotors, Sion: Can this electric car really charge up to 30km only from its solar cells? [closed]
Maybe you have heard about Sonomotors and its futuristic electric car, the Sion.
If not, here is the link to its website: https://sonomotors.com/
Anyway, the manufacturer claims that this car can ...
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Losses occurring in solar cells [closed]
If a solar cell is subjected to a light of intensity $1000$ $\text{W/m^2}$, the output at the cell is much less than ideal case scenario. What are all the factors causing energy losses in a solar cell?...
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