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Solar power has been around for a long time, from the 7th century B.C. Humans use the sun's rays to reflect them to shiny objects and create fire. (Hello Sunshine: The Future of Solar Power, n.d.-b) The discovery of electricity connected to solar power was in 1839 by Edmond Becquerel at the age of 19. How solar power works: "Particles of light, or photons, produce a flow of electricity by knocking electrons free from atoms—a process known as the “photovoltaic effect.” Becquerel discovered that platinum and silver electrodes in an acidic solution create electricity when exposed to light." (How Do Solar Panels Work? – Humless Solar ESS Battery and Inverter Storage Solutions, n.d.)
Solar panels have two materials commonly silicon that have "conductive properties that enable the absorption and conversion of sunlight into electricity." (How Do Solar Panels Work? – Humless Solar ESS Battery and Inverter Storage Solutions, n.d.) When the sun hits these two materials the electrons get into motion which creates the electrical flow. Because the different layers have a negative or positive charge the space between them becomes an electrical field. That electrical field pushes the electrons out when photons knock them free. "Conductive metal plates on the sides of each cell transfer these electrons to the wires of the solar panel." (How Do Solar Panels Work? – Humless Solar ESS Battery and Inverter Storage Solutions, n.d.)
References:
Hello sunshine: the future of solar power. (n.d.-b). https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/how-does-solar-power-work
How Do Solar Panels Work? – Humless Solar ESS Battery and Inverter Storage Solutions. (n.d.). https://humless.com/how-do-solar-panels-work/
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