Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of sunlight into electrical energy using solar cells. All energy on earth is received from the sun through its electromagnetic spectrum. At any one instant, the sun delivers 1,000 watts (kw) per square meter to the earth's surface. Most of this energy is absorbed as heat by the lithosphere (soil), hydrosphere (water), and atmosphere but photovoltaic cells (PVC) are capable of converting it into a non-polluting, ecologically sound, and dependable source of electrical power. Although the photovoltaic effect was discovered 150 years ago, economically viable applications were not possible until the recent development of efficient semiconductor material and processing methods.

The physics of converting sunlight into electricity is simple. Most photovoltaic cells are a standard negative/positive type with attached leads. The negative terminal lead is soldered on the light sensitive side of the cell, and the positive lead is attached to the...