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| headline = | | headline = A 3 kW photovoltaic panel array | ||
| page= | | page=Photovoltaic cell | ||
| image= | | image=Ontario_PV_Array.JPG | ||
| summary= | | summary=A 3 kW PV installation in northern Ontario.}} | ||
[ | Photovoltaics (PV) is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaic power generation employs solar panels comprising a number of cells containing a photovoltaic material. Materials presently used for photovoltaics include monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, and copper indium selenide/sulfide.[1] Due to the growing demand for renewable energy sources, the manufacturing of solar cells and photovoltaic arrays has advanced considerably in recent years.[2][3][4] | ||
As of 2010, solar photovoltaics generates electricity in more than 100 countries and, while yet comprising a tiny fraction of the 4.8 TW total global power-generating capacity from all sources, is the fastest growing power-generation technology in the world. Between 2004 and 2009, grid-connected PV capacity increased at an annual average rate of 60 percent, to some 21 GW.[5] Such installations may be ground-mounted (and sometimes integrated with farming and grazing)[6] or built into the roof or walls of a building, known as Building Integrated Photovoltaics or BIPV for short.[7] Off-grid PV accounts for an additional 3–4 GW.[5] | |||
Driven by advances in technology and increases in manufacturing scale and sophistication, the cost of photovoltaics has declined steadily since the first solar cells were manufactured.[8] Net metering and financial incentives, such as preferential feed-in tariffs for solar-generated electricity, have supported solar PV installations in many countries. | |||
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| width="33.3%" | '''<big>Category tree</big>''' | | width="33.3%" | '''<big>Category tree</big>''' | ||
<categorytree>Energy</categorytree> <categorytree> | <categorytree>Energy</categorytree> <categorytree>Solar</categorytree> <categorytree>Renewable energy</categorytree> <!-- MIDDLE COLUMN: Lists selected pages of interest. --> | ||
| width="33.3%" | '''<big>Sample pages</big>''' | | width="33.3%" | '''<big>Sample pages</big>''' | ||
'''Developmental Need''': | '''Developmental Need''': | ||
'' | ''Link'' | ||
*[ | *[[Home]]''<br>'' | ||
<br> '' | <br> ''Link'' | ||
*[ | *[[Home]] | ||
''<br>'' | ''<br>'' | ||
Revision as of 03:43, 29 January 2011
Photovoltaics (PV) is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaic power generation employs solar panels comprising a number of cells containing a photovoltaic material. Materials presently used for photovoltaics include monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, and copper indium selenide/sulfide.[1] Due to the growing demand for renewable energy sources, the manufacturing of solar cells and photovoltaic arrays has advanced considerably in recent years.[2][3][4] As of 2010, solar photovoltaics generates electricity in more than 100 countries and, while yet comprising a tiny fraction of the 4.8 TW total global power-generating capacity from all sources, is the fastest growing power-generation technology in the world. Between 2004 and 2009, grid-connected PV capacity increased at an annual average rate of 60 percent, to some 21 GW.[5] Such installations may be ground-mounted (and sometimes integrated with farming and grazing)[6] or built into the roof or walls of a building, known as Building Integrated Photovoltaics or BIPV for short.[7] Off-grid PV accounts for an additional 3–4 GW.[5] Driven by advances in technology and increases in manufacturing scale and sophistication, the cost of photovoltaics has declined steadily since the first solar cells were manufactured.[8] Net metering and financial incentives, such as preferential feed-in tariffs for solar-generated electricity, have supported solar PV installations in many countries.
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