photovoltaics (PV)
Photovoltaics is a branch of solar technology and deals with the generation of electrical energy from solar radiation. The basis for the energy conversion is the photoelectric effect, in which electrons are torn out of material surfaces by means of photons. Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of incident solar radiation into DC voltage.
For energy conversion, photovoltaics uses solar cells, which are connected together as arrays to form solar modules. In the overall energy concept, photovoltaics and photovoltaic arrays are increasingly contributing to environmentally friendly and resource-saving energy supply.
Recent research has focused on organic photovoltaics: plastic solar cells made of organic materials. The aim of this research is to produce extremely inexpensive, highly flexible and completely transparent solar cells that can be used over large areas and glued to windows. In addition, such solar cells could be disposed of with household waste. The efficiency of organic solar cells achieved years ago in laboratories was slightly below that of amorphous silicon.