PV Gap

Allen Said:

how to make solar cells?

We Answered:

they require special perfectly clean silicon doped (mixed with very specific ammounts) of phosphorus or boron. you cant make it at home because you don't have a method of measuring the exact amouts of phosphorus or boron or a room clean enough to do it in, and you don't have a way of melting the silicon. this has to do with why solar panels are so expensive. you might be able to make a solar collector, where you use mirrors to heat up a tube of melted salts or oil and use it to build water that turns a steam engine basically.

Arnold Said:

how can you make a home-made solar cell?

We Answered:

Check out this site, it shows low power alternative using cuprous oxide instead of silicon.

http://worldwatts.com/homemade_solar_cell/homemade_solar_cell.html

Dianne Said:

does anyone here have solar energy cells at their home? how efficient is it?

We Answered:

I recently had a salesman come out to my house and give me a presentation on solar panels.

The salesman would not answer my questions about annual electric production.

I found out later that the salesmen do not want those numbers released because the amount of electricity actually produced is so low that it is very difficult to sell these systems to people who know the true numbers for electricity production.

I found out later that typical production for a 3,000 watt unit in my area is approximately 4,000 kilowatt hours per year.

That is a pitifully small amount of electricity for the amount of money that this system costs.