A solar panel has no moving parts and makes no noise. Every second the sun is out, it turns light straight into electricity. Here's the whole journey, step by step.
What's inside a solar panel?
Each panel is a grid of small cells. Most of a cell is silicon, treated so one side wants electrons and the other side gives them up. That difference is built in before the panel ever sees daylight. It's what makes the whole thing work.
How does sunlight make electricity?
When light hits the cell, it knocks electrons loose. The built-in difference in the silicon pushes those loose electrons the same way. A one-way flow of electrons is what we call electric current.
Why do you need an inverter?
Panels make DC power, but your home runs on AC power. An inverter sits between the two and changes one into the other. It also decides, moment to moment, whether to power your home, charge a battery, or send extra power to the grid. That last option can earn you a Smart Export Guarantee payment, money paid for the solar you don't use.
The quick version
- Solar cells turn light straight into electricity, with no fuel needed.
- An inverter turns that power into the AC power your home uses.
- Real-world output is lower than the lab rating, and that's normal.