Solar PhotovoltaicSilicon. Sunlight. Current.
Panels convert photons directly into electrons through the photovoltaic effect — no turbines, no moving parts, just silicon and sunlight.
Step through the entire flow.
Each step animates what is happening at that moment — click anywhere on the left to jump, or press play to watch the whole sequence.
The Sun
Photons travel 93 million miles and hit your roof as broad-spectrum radiation. Peak insolation at solar noon on a clear day is about 1,000 W/m².
Side by side with its competition.
| Technology | LCOE ($/MWh) | Capacity Factor | Lifespan (yr) | CO₂ (g/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar PV (utility) | 35 | 24% | 30 | 48 |
| Onshore Wind | 40 | 42% | 25 | 11 |
| Natural Gas (CCGT) | 75 | 58% | 30 | 490 |
| Nuclear | 180 | 92% | 60 | 12 |
| Coal | 120 | 55% | 40 | 820 |
What's great. What's not. What critics say and whether they're right.
- Cheapest new generation in most of the world
- No fuel, no moving parts, minimal O&M
- Modular — scales from 1-panel shed to gigawatt plant
- 1–3 year energy payback, 25–30 year lifespan
- Variable — zero output at night, reduced on cloudy days
- Requires storage or grid partnership for 24/7 coverage
- Residential install soft costs (permitting, labor) still high in many US states
- "Too much mining" — real for cobalt, largely not applicable to silicon PV
- "Panels end up in landfill" — partially real, <0.1% of MSW projected, recycling scaling
- "Won’t work without subsidies" — outdated; utility-scale beats gas on unsubsidized LCOE
On cost and scalability, solar PV is the most boring possible answer: it just wins. On intermittency, you need storage or a grid partnership. Both are solved problems — it is a question of deployment speed.
The research that will change this page in two years.
Perovskite tandem cells
Silicon + perovskite stacks pushing cell efficiency toward 33%+ in lab, first commercial panels 2025–2027.
Bifacial + trackers
Standard on new utility-scale projects. 10–20% more yield per panel.
Panel recycling at scale
First gigawatt-scale PV recycling facilities online in US and EU, >95% material recovery targets.
See what others built
Community-submitted systems using this technology — budget, location, equipment list, lessons learned.
Plan your system
Step through the configurator — we size panels, inverter, and batteries based on your actual usage.
Curated gear list
Editor picks and best-value products, all with transparent affiliate disclosure.