In here you’ll find a quick definition of what all those acronyms and buzzwords used in solar energy talk mean.
Some will have links to references where you can learn more.
Amorphous Glass
A glass surface that is coated with paint like photovoltaic material that has no solid crystal-like structure to it. Amorphous glass solar panels consist of many bands or rectangles in which a powdered (amorphous) photovoltaic material is painted or sprayed on.
Inverter
An electronic device that converts DC (Direct Current) voltage from batteries or solar cells to AC (Alternating Current) so that it can power devices that you normally plug into an outlet at home. For example lamps, laptop chargers, a television, modem, etc – up to the maximum rating of the inverter or your DC power source.
A “pure sine wave inverter” is an inverter that generates its AC in the true sine wave shape you normally get from a standard AC outlet on the grid. Many low-cost inverters generate a more “square wave” shape that works fine for most appliances.
Monocrystalline (aka “mono-Si”)
Of a single pure crystal form. A monocrystalline solar cell is one that is composed of a solid slice of silicon. These are black in color and are usually round or have rounded corners. These are the most efficient type of solar cell and are widely used in modern solar panels.
Ohm
A unit of measurement for electrical resistance to voltage that can be used to determine how much current (in Amps) at a given voltage an electrical device will require. See Ohm’s Law for details and history.
Perovskite Solar Cells
A new high-efficiency solar cell made with metal-halide perovskites—materials with a distinctive crystal structure combining organic ions, metals, and halogens—as the light-absorbing active layer. These thin-film cells absorb light efficiently, exciting electrons that generate electric power. Perovskites can be combined with other technologies like silicon to create tandem cells, potentially surpassing the efficiency of individual technologies.
Since 2009, perovskite solar cells have rapidly advanced, reaching over 26% efficiency in small-area devices and nearly 34% in tandem configurations. Their potential lies in low-cost production via low-temperature processes and ink-based manufacturing, resilience to structural defects, and compatibility with various photovoltaic technologies. However, despite impressive lab-scale performance, commercial scalability and long-term stability remain challenges under active research and development.
Photovoltaic (PV)
Something that is “photovoltaic” is capable of turning light “photo” into voltage “volt”iac.
The individual cells that make up a solar panel are “Photovoltaic Cells”, or commonly just called “Solar Cells”.
Photovoltaic Cell
A photo-voltaic cell is an individual unit (or cell) that converts light into voltage. A solar panel consists of many photovoltaic cells connected together for increased voltage and current output.
Polycrystalline (aka “poly-Si”)
A mixture of different crystalline materials, each with their own crystalline structure but forming a single solid material. A polycrystalline solar cell is one made of many fragments of silicon that are heated so that they fuse together to (re)form a solid crystal. This mix of silicon fragments forms a sparkling pattern that is visible in reflected light.