By Rfassbind - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34961018
A solar power plant is a facility that generates electricity by converting sunlight into energy. Solar power plants typically use photovoltaic (PV) panels or solar thermal technology to capture the sun's energy and convert it into usable electricity.
PV panels are made up of layers of silicon, which absorb photons from the sun's rays and convert them into electrical energy. The electricity generated by these panels is direct current (DC), which is then converted into alternating current (AC) using an inverter before being fed into the power grid.
Solar thermal power plants use mirrors or lenses to focus sunlight onto a receiver, which heats a fluid that is then used to drive a turbine and generate electricity.
Solar power plants can be built on a large scale, with hundreds or thousands of panels or mirrors, or on a smaller scale for individual homes or buildings. They are typically located in areas with abundant sunlight, such as deserts or sunny regions, and can be used to supplement or replace traditional power sources.
Advantages of solar power plants include their renewable and clean source of energy, as well as their ability to operate without the need for fuel or water.
Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel (1820 - 1891)
Photo courtesy : Wikipedia
Certain material combinations generate electricity when they are exposed to sunlight. This phenomenon is called the photovoltaic effect. The photovoltaic effect was first discovered by Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel a French physicist in 1839.
Solar cells are produced by joining a p-type semiconductor material and an n-type semiconductor material together to form a p-n junction. When sunlight falls on them, they produce electricity in the form of direct current (DC).
Solar panels are made by assembling several such solar cells in a frame. These panels are also known as solar cell panels, solar electric panels, solar panels, photo voltaic (PV) modules, or PV panels.