PV Gap

Sheila Said:

help with solar energy????

We Answered:

If by solar cell you are implying silicon photovoltaic cell, the answer is light energy.

But in general, solar farms use both light and heat. In fact some of the newer technologies in Si solar cells are trying to use a second built in mechanism to capture heat energy to raise the efficiency from the high teens of percents to something much higher. Photovoltaic energy conversion is still at an abysmally low level of efficiency. Thermal gathering of solar energy can be done at higher efficiencies,
and lower costs. Solar space heating and solar hot water are good examples.