PV Gap

Constance Said:

Are there solar panels which can generate electricity in room light?

We Answered:

Solar panels absorb specific frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. Not all light is created equal. Light is usually characterized by its black body temperature. Its essentially the temperature of the source but it defines the frequencies of light.

The sun is a black-body source at 6000 K
Green House light bulb 5900K
Florescents 4100K
Halogen: 3200K
Incandescents: 2600K

Since solar panels are engineered for the sun, the closer you get to the sun frequencies the more power you will produce. A solar panel will generate voltage form any black body source since each source is a continuous spectrum of frequencies, just in different magnitudes. A LED light however is a specific frequency and may not produce any voltage when applied to a solar cell.

Intensity is another consideration. If you put a solar cell directly beneath a halogen light it is certainly going to produce more than on the other side of the room.

Specificaly to your question: Yes, all solar panels produce electricy in room light. It is a small fraction of Solar radiation and will vary depending upon the intensity and frequency.

Hope that helps!