What are Photovoltaic Cells and Modules?
The solar module (or photovoltaic component of the system) is the heart of the system. It transforms the sun’s rays into usable electrical energy. The solar module (or panel) is comprised of several individual photovoltaic cells connected in series or parallel with a metallic material. The energy produced by a solar module is influenced primarily by the number of cells within a module and how these cells are arranged within the module. When the cells are connected in series, the total voltage is the sum of the voltages from each individual cell. The output current in this configuration will remain the same as that produced from a single cell. When the cells are connected in parallel, the total current is the sum of the currents from the individual cells and the output voltage is the same as that produced from a single cell. Each cell in a module typically produces anywhere from 2 to 5 amperes and approximately 0.5 volts (about the same amount as produced from an ordinary flashlight bat
