Print this page Photovoltaic Fundamentals
Harlan H. Bengtson, PhD, P.E.
Course Outline
The use of photovoltaic systems for converting sunlight into electricity has been expanding rapidly. This 6 hour online course includes an overview of progress in the field; basic information about the photovoltaic effect; discussion of several different types of solar cells, including single-crystal silicon, semicrystalline and polycrystalline silicon, thin-film solar cells, gallium arsenide PV cells, and multifunction devices; and information about modules, arrays and systems of solar PV cells.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
- Be familiar with the photovoltaic effect and how it can be used to convert sunlight into electricity;
- Know how light absorption creates charge carriers;
- Know how doping is used to create n-type silicon and p-type silicon;
- Know the relationship between energy band gap level and type of solar radiation absorbed;
- Be familiar with the components of single crystal silicon cells and how they are produced;
- Be familiar with the components of semicrystalline and polycrystalline silicon cells and how they are produced;
- Be familiar with the components of thin-film solar cells and how they are produced;
- Be familiar with Gallium Arsenide solar cells and how they are produced;
- Be familiar with multijunction devices and how they are produced;
- Be familiar with the methods of producing PV modules and arrays; and
- Be familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of flat-plate collectors as compared with concentrating solar collectors.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for energy, mechanical, electrical, construction, and civil engineers.
Benefit to Attendee
An attendee of this course will gain knowledge about the photovoltaic effect, several different of types of solar PV cells, and procedures for putting cells together into modules, arrays, and systems.
Course Introduction
Electricity can be produced from solar energy through the use of the photovoltaic effect, which was discovered by the French physicist, Edmond Becquerel, in 1839. Bell Laboratories developed the first crystalline silicon photovoltaic solar cell in 1954. Since that time much progress has been made in producing increasingly efficient solar PV cells from several different materials, as described and discussed in this course.
Course Content
For this course, you are required to download and study the following document:
Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you still experience any difficulty in downloading or opening this file, you may need to close some applications or reboot your computer to free up some memory.
You may need to download Acrobat Reader to view and print the document.
Processes for producing electricity from solar energy with photovoltaic cells have been developed considerably since discovery of the photoelectric effect in 1839 and its first implementation with a crystalline silicon cell in 1954. Solar photovoltaic systems can now be made from crystalline silicon, semicrystalline and polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, gallium arsenide, cadmium telluride, and copper indium diselenide.
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
