Keywords
Abstract
The Earth receives an incredible supply of solar energy. The sun, an average star,
is a fusion reactor that has been burning over 4 billion years. It provides enough energy in
one minute to supply the world's energy needs for one year. In a single day, it provides
more energy than our current population would consume in 27 years. In fact, "The amount
of solar radiation striking the earth over three days is equivalent to the energy stored in
all fossil energy sources." Solar energy is a free, inexhaustible resource, yet harnessing it
is a relatively new idea. Considering that the first practical solar cells were made less than
30 years ago, we have come a long way. A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell, is an electrical
device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect,
which is a physical and chemical phenomenon. It is a form of photoelectric cell, defined as
a device whose electrical characteristics, such as current, voltage, or resistance, vary when
exposed to light. In this article, types of solar cells will be studied and their various
applications.