Solar power

Solar power

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.

Industry: Energy

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Solar power

series resistance

Energy; Solar power

Parasitic resistance to current flow in a cell due to mechanisms such as resistance from the bulk of the semiconductor material, metallic contacts, and interconnections.

cloud enhancement

Energy; Solar power

The increase in solar intensity caused by reflected irradiance from nearby clouds.

shallow-cycle battery

Energy; Solar power

A battery with small plates that cannot withstand many discharges to a low state-of-charge.

combined collector

Energy; Solar power

A photovoltaic device or module that provides useful heat energy in addition to electricity.

shelf life of batteries

Energy; Solar power

The length of time, under specified conditions, that a battery can be stored so that it keeps its guaranteed capacity.

concentrator

Energy; Solar power

A photovoltaic module, which includes optical components such as lenses (Fresnel lens) to direct and concentrate sunlight onto a solar cell of smaller area. Most concentrator arrays must directly ...