Solar panels harness the sun's energy in the form of light and convert the energy into electricity. Although the average consumer might associate solar panels with residential rooftop assemblies, solar panels are available for a wide range of applications, including powering individual gadgets, electronic devices and vehicle batteries. In addition to rooftop arrays that provide electricity to homes and businesses, solar panels are also used in a wide range of consumer products.The energy that results can be used to energize anything from a small appliance to an entire office building. Solar panels are an excellent way to reduce ones greenhouse footprint as well as become generally more self-sufficient. Solar panel systems, or photovoltaic (PV) systems, are an integrated mesh of interconnected solar cells designed to capture the energy from light and convert it into a workable voltage. At a very high level PV cells are made of semiconductors such as silicon, which is currently the most common semiconductor used. Light enters the cell as energy and knocks electrons loose and allows current to flow. The current is then drawn off the panel by using metal plates at each end of the cell. The current is then run through a power inverter, which converts DC to AC for use with household appliances.

Solar panels harness the sun's energy in the form of light and convert the energy into electricity. Although the average consumer might associate solar panels with residential rooftop assemblies, solar panels are available for a wide range of applications, including powering individual gadgets, electronic devices and vehicle batteries. In addition to rooftop arrays that provide electricity to homes and businesses, solar panels are also used in a wide range of consumer products.The energy that results can be used to energize anything from a small appliance to an entire office building. Solar panels are an excellent way to reduce ones greenhouse footprint as well as become generally more self-sufficient. Solar panel systems, or photovoltaic (PV) systems, are an integrated mesh of interconnected solar cells designed to capture the energy from light and convert it into a workable voltage. At a very high level PV cells are made of semiconductors such as silicon, which is currently the most common semiconductor used. Light enters the cell as energy and knocks electrons loose and allows current to flow. The current is then drawn off the panel by using metal plates at each end of the cell. The current is then run through a power inverter, which converts DC to AC for use with household appliances.