The photovoltaic cells can make the electricity throughout the day when sun is visible and in almost all the seasons including the cloudy skies. Of course the electricity will not be formed during the night times. The electricity generated by the photovoltaic cells is first stored in the rechargeable lead batteries. These batteries should be of high quality so that they can be discharged and recharged continuously on daily basis without getting damaged soon. The batteries used with the solar photovoltaic cells are different from the disposable batteries that have lower life and capacity.
The present day photovoltaic cells also have an electronic charge controller connected to the battery. It efficiently transfers the energy from photovoltaic cells to the battery and also prevents overcharging of the battery and any electrical damage to the solar panels.
Another device which is required with the photovoltaic cells is the inverter. The voltage produced by the batteries is low and they produce direct current (DC current). At home we need alternating current supply with the voltage of 110. The inverter converts small voltage and direct current supply from the batteries to alternating current of 100V, which is ready to be used for all the purposes.
Apart from the other applications, one important area where the photovoltaic cells are being experimented is the cars. In cars the electricity generated from the photovoltaic cells is used to run the motor, which is connected to the wheels of the car. As the motor rotates the vehicle also runs. In the coming years we are sure to see on roads the cars running on solar energy, an important form of renewable energy available abundantly and freely.
