Can photovoltaic panels be used for multiple purposes

What is dual-use photovoltaic (PV)?

Dual-use photovoltaic (PV) technologies, also known as dual-use PV, are a type of PV application where the PV panels serve an additional function besides the generation of electricity.

What is a photovoltaic (PV) cell?

A photovoltaic (PV) cell, commonly called a solar cell, is a nonmechanical device that converts sunlight directly into electricity. Some PV cells can convert artificial light into electricity. Sunlight is composed of photons, or particles of solar energy.

How many PV panels are in a PV array?

A PV array can be composed of as few as two PV panels to hundreds of PV panels. The number of PV panels connected in a PV array determines the amount of electricity the array can generate. PV cells generate direct current (DC) electricity. DC electricity can be used to charge batteries that power devices that use DC electricity.

How do solar photovoltaic cells work?

Solar photovoltaic cells are grouped in panels, and panels can be grouped into arrays of different sizes to power water pumps, power individual homes, or provide utility-scale electricity generation. Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (copyrighted)

Do PV cells convert sunlight to electricity?

The efficiency that PV cells convert sunlight to electricity varies by the type of semiconductor material and PV cell technology. The efficiency of commercially available PV panels averaged less than 10% in the mid-1980s, increased to around 15% by 2015, and is now approaching 25% for state-of-the art modules.

Can a PV cell convert artificial light into electricity?

Some PV cells can convert artificial light into electricity. Sunlight is composed of photons, or particles of solar energy. These photons contain varying amounts of energy that correspond to the different wavelengths of the solar spectrum. A PV cell is made of semiconductor material.