Discovery Of Solar Energy Cells Solar energy cells, also known as PV cells, are actually created when three Americans discovered that building transistors with silicon. This was during the 1950 s. PV cells weren t actually an affordable solar energy source back then, however, due to its practical use in the satellite industry, the solar energy cell industry became sustainable. You can actually save more by making your own solar panels, instead of having to buy from a store or hiring a pro to do the installation. You can get a lot of financial benefits by maintaining the material properly. Expect solar panels to last for up to 3 decades if well-maintained. Here are some tips on how to begin your project. Photovoltaic Panels Photovoltaic panels are solar energy panels that convert solar energy and turn them into electricity that you can use to power up most of your appliances and household lighting, and should only be used for those particular uses. Unfortunatley, among the solar energy systems that are in the market, photovoltaic panels are considered to be one of the more expensive ones, if not the most expensive in the solar energy market today. About Resource Are there any available hardware stores that offer the needed parts for your solar energy system setup? Will ordering online be easy and convenient? Are there agencies or professionals who can offer reliable and quality services to install and maintain the solar cell panels. Are the materials affordable and of good quality? 51% of sunlight in reality enters the atmosphere of the earth. Unlike solar thermal energy which transforms soalr energy to heat for industrial or household reasons, PV cells can directly change sunlight into electricity. The Solar Array The solar array is made of hundreds of photovoltaic solar cells that transform sunlight into electricity. The First Category The first way to view solar energy will depend on how the energy is transformed into useful energy. There are a couple of types in this category - passive solar energy and active solar energy. Passive solar energy describes the harnessing of the energy of the sun without the need for mechanical devices.