Silicon
General
Currently about 85% of the photovoltaic modules on the market are built starting from silicon semiconductors.
A photovoltaic power plant consists of a set of photovoltaic modules; Modules consist of a set of cells; Several modules connected together form a panel that can also be used for small systems; a set of panels, electrically connected in series, make up a string; several strings, generally connected in parallel, constitute a field of a photovoltaic power plant.
Photovoltaic power plant:
https://www.iene.eu/photovoltaic-power-plants-in-slovenia-p5077.html
The most important element of a photovoltaic system are certainly the solar panels also called photovoltaic modules. In fact, solar panels are able to capture the sun's rays, store them and then transform this heat into electricity for the needs of our homes or our companies.
Photvoltaic panels: https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/solar-energy/433607
How they work
Photovoltaic cells of the solar panels are made of silicon. Silicon is a semiconductor element, an element that is therefore able to capture heat in a very simple way. Basically, the energy is obtained when the photons of sunlight, hitting a cell, "tear" the outermost (valence) electrons of the silicon atoms. The electrons are collected by the metal lattice silk-screened on the visible surface of the cell that "channel" a flow obtaining a direct current of electrical energy
Monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic cells
They are cells in which the silicon atoms are arranged in such a way as to form a single crystal, a sort of ingot.
The energy produced in 20 years by a 1 kWp PV system is 18-28 MWh. Depending on the latitude and the good maintenance of the system, they can last even more than 30 years.
Policrystalline silicon photovoltaic cell:
https://www.nature.com/articles/am201082?foxtrotcallback=true
Monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic cell:
https://www.nature.com/articles/am201082?foxtrotcallback=true
Policrystalline silicon photovoltaic cells
They are cells in which the silicon atoms are arranged in such a way as to form various crystals joined together.
The energy produced in 20 years with these 1 kWp PV systems is 16-25 MWh. Depending on the latitude and the good maintenance of the plant, the plants can last even more than 30 years.
Amorphous cells
They are cells in which other types of semiconductor materials are used instead of the classic silicon that are positioned above a glass or metal plate, we speak of thin film cells. For example, amorphous silicon is used.
It is currently the technology that best represents the "thin film" solution on a commercial level, with a share of approximately 5% of the total photovoltaic market.
The energy produced in the average life (20 years) by a 1 kWp PV panel is 10-18 MWh according to the technology adopted
