Photovoltaics simply explained
Photovoltaic means the direct conversion of sun rays with solar cells into electrical energy. It has been used in space travel for the past 50 years, and later it was also used to supply power to individual electrical devices such as pocket calculators. Today there is grid-connected power generation by photovoltaics on roofs and open spaces to replace conventional power plants.
The term photovoltaic comes from the Greek and is made up of the words light and the unit for electrical voltage, the volt. Photovoltaics is an area of solar technology that includes other technical uses of solar energy.
