PHOTOVOLTAIC

In these plants solar radiation is directley converted into electrical energy in photovoltaic cell panels. The photovoltaic cells are devices composed of layers of diffent phtoelectric materials, including semiconductors (such as silicom and germanium), which convert solar energy into electrical energy.

Photovoltaic power plants consist of large areas of photovoltaic cell panels aligned. Each panel has a large number of solar cells and a voltage is generated in each cell so that the cumulative effect of all of them produces a DC voltage. This voltage is then converted into AC.

The advantage of these power plants is that they use an inexhaustible and free energy, like the Sun, and that the process of generating electricity is a "clean" process that produces no waste. The main disadvantage is that the Sun is a source of diffuse, intermittent power, so the production capacity od these plants is usually small.

It is interesting to make reference to the small photovoltaic equipments installed in buildings for domestic consumption of electricity.