what do solar panels do

Solar panels are devices that convert sunlight into electrical energy. They are usually made from silicon or another semiconductor material installed in a metal panel frame with a glass casing. When sunlight hits the solar panel, energy from the sunlight is absorbed by the photovoltaic (PV) cells in the panel. This energy creates electrical charges that move in response to an internal electrical field in the cell, causing electricity to flow. This DC electricity is then converted to alternating current (AC) by an inverter, which is the type of electrical current used when you plug appliances into normal wall sockets. Solar energy can help to reduce the cost of electricity, contribute to a resilient electrical grid, create jobs and spur economic growth, generate back-up power for nighttime and outages when paired with storage, and operate at similar efficiency on both small and large scales.