How to make your solar panels produce more power

Solar panels are made up of smaller units called solar cells. They are usually made of silicon – a semiconductor that is the second most abundant element on Earth. In a solar cell, crystalline silicon (depletion layer) is sandwiched between two conductive layers. N-type silicon has extra electrons, while P-type silicon has extra spaces for electrons, so called holes. Where the two types of silicon meet, electrons can wander across the P/N junction, leaving a positive charge on one side and creating negative charge on the other.

When a photon of light strikes the silicon cell with enough energy, it can knock an electron from its bond, leaving a hole. The negatively charged electron and location of the positively charged hole are now free to move around. However, the electric field at the P/N junction leaves them with no choice: the electron is drawn to the N-side, while the hole is drawn to the P-side.

The mobile electrons are collected by metallic conducting strips at the top of the cell. From there, they flow through an external circuit, doing electrical work, like powering a lightbulb. After that they return through the conductive aluminum sheet (substrate base) on the back. A single silicon cell can't really do any usable work, but you can string them together in modules to get more power. For example, twelve photovoltaic cells are enough to charge a cellphone, and it takes many modules to power an entire house.

There are also 120 and 144-cell panels which, believe it or not, are the same size as 60 cells and 72 cells respectively. Such compactness is achieved with the help of the half-cell technology, which cuts full cells into half, reducing their resistance. Lower resistance means more energy is being captured and produced. So, half-cell technology provides higher power output ratings (380-400W).