{"id":55,"date":"2023-12-06T12:35:01","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T12:35:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/switchtogether.com\/en\/solar\/blog\/?p=55"},"modified":"2026-01-28T17:20:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T17:20:26","slug":"how-do-solar-panels-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/switchtogether.com\/en\/solar\/blog\/how-do-solar-panels-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do Solar Panels Work? Step-by-step"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7242c8cb0330bcb24a0eb6740de3b07c\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">With the increasing popularity of renewable energy sources, many homeowners are turning to solar power to reduce their carbon footprint and save money on their energy bills. But how exactly do solar panels work? In this article, we&#8217;ll dive into the basics of solar energy and explain the process of converting sunlight into usable electricity for your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-37065d28465de7957de9b45425874e4d\" style=\"font-size:22px;letter-spacing:1px\">On this page, you\u2019ll find:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"color:#213664\" class=\"wp-block-list has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-545861f1999353c0902030dae7511ae8\">\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-967b138e32c3474cb2e218b6cf226de2\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">What is solar energy?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3f941b8f95a17d75dd5eac9eda58bc56\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">How does a solar panel work?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-498b0a174a243339fc3058353a3e565e\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">What are solar panels made of?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-414dd818f705a785482e389acfba7a00\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">How Do Solar Panels Generate Electricity?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a41641b99f44c9e21efb3c02f3555434\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">How Much Electricity Do Solar Panels Generate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-82876ddaff08007d7a4f2dc665a2cd6d\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Efficiency and Performance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1864b11faf0013919249b1b95e1054ff\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">How Can I Get Solar Panels<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9b3e2048ff3d488fca45b2f6fbe21c4c\">What is Solar Energy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-296758540fd03a3a7358cc0c4cfcc902\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Before we can understand how home solar power systems work, we need to understand the basics of solar energy. Solar energy is simply light and heat from the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c6b03b116112ee868d0d78d49c1720bf\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Solar energy is the light and heat from the sun harnessed using various technologies such as photovoltaic systems and solar thermal collectors. The core of the sun, where nuclear fusion reactions occur, is about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/solar-energy#:~:text=Solar%20energy%20is%20the%20radiation,advantages%20and%20disadvantages%20from%20Britannica\">emits energy<\/a> in the form of electromagnetic radiation, reaching earth as photons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-07ee3c184d8071c194c0eaca4c434c25\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">This natural and abundant resource is why solar power remains a promising, renewable energy source. It is a clean and sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuels, which emit harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br>How Do Solar Panels Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-84f55d95448d70eafd1c67fa42dd8f0f\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">A solar panel is made up of photovoltaic cells (PV cells) that convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity. The process starts when photons (particles of light) hit the solar panel and cause the electrons in the PV cells to become active. When the PV cells are active, they create a flow of electrons, which is direct current (DC) electricity. The energy captured is transformed from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) via a solar inverter, making it usable for homes and businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-src=\"https:\/\/switchtogether.com\/en\/solar\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/How-Do-Solar-Panels-Work-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-656 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/switchtogether.com\/en\/solar\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/How-Do-Solar-Panels-Work-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/switchtogether.com\/en\/solar\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/How-Do-Solar-Panels-Work-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/switchtogether.com\/en\/solar\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/How-Do-Solar-Panels-Work-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/switchtogether.com\/en\/solar\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/How-Do-Solar-Panels-Work.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/576;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-33145f2e2e9e183c94f024785b96ae90\"><strong>What Are Solar Panels Made Of?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-715b06e6c54cfb6e1830e4610c7f89e3\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">A solar panel is a collection of solar cells which work together to convert light into electricity. Solar panels are made up of a few different layers. Let&#8217;s break down the main components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol style=\"color:#213664\" class=\"wp-block-list has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b87c754458bf4ba99d58cd169edfb71f\">\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f460494883753b8594e7951fe3ac58a1\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Photovoltaic cells<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1455f3db9bbf6d293249c11d44067b06\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Silicon semiconductors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c9c2f360401d42f94e2c8b78fe26d3fe\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Conductive plates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-cb861273a2c59077fb6d6d92f45ccf4f\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Protective glass and framing<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1544734e839436d1eb50009c9a484fb0\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">The top layer is a transparent covering made of tempered glass or plexiglass. This layer is designed to protect the PV cells from weather damage and ultraviolet (UV) rays. Below the top layer is the PV cell layer, which captures and turns sunlight into DC electricity. The final layer is the backing, which is made of plastic or metal and offers support to the solar panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d662ffd6f5344efe28d4e97de5a9fe28\">Photovoltaic cells<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8fe51f33b5c67842559afa170c6d6751\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">The real stars of the show are these cells, which do the heavy lifting in converting sunlight to power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-07645bf736c65d335ac70bc6e1aea44f\">Silicon semiconductors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4bf937d15bf9fe996f693bfe6df6cc7f\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Found inside the cells, they&#8217;re essential for the energy conversion process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-37856750bc9d54118cd7a5a6735449f5\">Conductive plates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2cc6fe46119d55c69c32d1ff79e492d8\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">These collect the excited electrons to create an electric current.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-07b05f7cbea264359f2326598089324f\">Protective glass and framing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ac7d7af8bc76b553be096da1b1c9ef28\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">They shield the delicate cells from the elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5c551a998e9027c3709ab56cd17b5c67\">How Do Solar Panels Generate Electricity?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6541e6ef5ccc5638d8def2d7452b2e41\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">How is solar energy produced? Solar PV panels convert the sun\u2019s energy into electricity. Solar panels are made of photovoltaic cells, which is why solar-generated electricity is also referred to as solar PV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-73437f7064db11de49231951aefc4937\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">To understand how solar panels generate electricity, let&#8217;s take a closer look at the photovoltaic cells (PV cells) in the solar panel. The PV cells are made up of two layers of silicon, one positively charged and the other negatively charged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-58b189478bc53d1eb7a5b140da0e952c\"><br>What are Solar Cells?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-87969907aacc292c12763c11b6bb9e7b\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Photovoltaic cells are sandwiched between layers of semiconducting materials, such as silicone. Each layer has different electronic properties that energize when they are hit by photons from sunlight, which creates an electric field. This is known as the photoelectric effect &#8211; this creates the current needed to produce electricity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-831c69cf6c0f43d7d83805a353a9a790\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">When sunlight (photons) strikes the PV cells, it creates an electric field, separating the positively charged and negatively charged layers of silicon. When an external circuit is attached to the PV cells, the flow of electrons creates direct current (DC) electricity. The DC electricity is sent through an inverter, which converts it into alternating current (AC) electricity, which is used to power homes and other electrical devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5eac59015efc7bdf22d05047c215edea\">How Much Electricity Do Solar Panels Generate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-74dd8980926012b172fd2d0233a5a88e\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Solar Reviews states that the majority of solar panels on the market today generate between 370 and 400 watts of power per hour under optimal conditions. Energy refers to the total amount of power a solar panel produces over a period of time. On average, a solar panel will produce around 2kWh of energy each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f7792eac3af5178632789ee1fbfbd56e\">Efficiency and Performance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c695b6994d3ec6d8da373db8debd4c2a\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Several factors determine how much \u2018juice\u2019 we can squeeze out of our solar panels:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"color:#213664\" class=\"wp-block-list has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-668efb27f16d19a578683bf052468e5d\">\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2ae58580214b06a4fe524588471eda53\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\"><strong>Material quality:<\/strong> Higher quality materials can convert more sunlight to electricity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-93e807a7e3ec387fc9f0ceb3f190ddaa\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\"><strong>Angle and placement<\/strong>: The sunnier the spot and the better the angle, the more power you get.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1d63b9263db5c1d6b98af76df8de3c4b\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\"><strong>Weather and climate conditions<\/strong>: Sunny days are great, but solar panels can still gather energy on cloudy days, just not as much.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1c9dbd836de13f2c6728434083cb36f8\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">The efficiency and performance of a solar panel depend on several factors, including the panel&#8217;s size, materials, and the amount of sunlight it receives. Most solar panels have an efficiency of around 15-20%, meaning that 15-20% of the sun&#8217;s energy is converted into usable electricity. However, new advancements in technology have led to more efficient solar panels, with some panels producing an efficiency of over 20%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d0efe5d4f7ae1c3ff9a192b11d780f00\">How Can I Get Solar Panels?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3be133cf0c829e3b6087bf61071755ef\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">If you&#8217;re a homeowner looking to unlock the benefits of solar energy, the Switch Together program is your gateway to making an informed and cost-effective transition. By joining a community of like-minded individuals in our group buying program, you&#8217;ll gain access to exclusive discounts and a streamlined process, making the switch to solar power smoother and more affordable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-535a798d17a65b4c75b0d08a8d864796\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Solar panels are a simple yet sophisticated technology, turning sunlight into electricity through the marvels of the photovoltaic effect. The environmental benefits of solar panels are clear: they produce clean, green energy. Economically, they can offer savings on energy bills, and there are often <a href=\"https:\/\/switchtogether.com\/en\/solar\/blog\/inflation-reduction-act-2023-solar-panels\/\">incentives<\/a> to sweeten the deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1080c5784c7dfdf6f29c5d72f26dffb0\" style=\"font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px\">Don&#8217;t miss this opportunity to invest in the future of your home and the planet. Register now and be part of a collective movement towards a greener, more sustainable energy solution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the increasing popularity of renewable energy sources, many homeowners are turning to solar power to reduce their carbon footprint and save money on their energy bills. But how exactly do solar panels work? In this article, we&#8217;ll dive into the basics of solar energy and explain the process of converting sunlight into usable electricity&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":396,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solar-pv"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Do Solar Panels Work? Step-by-step - Switch Together Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Solar panels will reduce the amount of electricity your home uses from the electricity grid. While the sun is out, the panels produce electricity.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/switchtogether.com\/en\/solar\/blog\/how-do-solar-panels-work\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Do Solar Panels Work? Step-by-step - Switch Together Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Solar panels will reduce the amount of electricity your home uses from the electricity grid. 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