Solar & Wind This diagram and information will provide a basic
understanding of the main components of a photovoltaic solar
system and how it works. PV panels are the main component of a
solar-electric system and determine its output capacity. Photons
of light strike the semiconductor cells of a solar panel
exciting electrons which then flow as a stream of direct (DC)
current. PV panels are rated in watts based on the maximum power
they can produce under ideal sun and temperature conditions. The
more directly the sun strikes the panels and the lower the air
temperature around the panels’ results in the highest
production. The individual panel rated output is used to
determine how many panels would be needed to meet the
requirements of a specific electrical demand. Multiple panels
are usually wired together to achieve a desired quality of
electrical output and are called strings. All the strings
together are called an array. Rigid panels are the most common
form of solar electricity generation because to date