Solar Technology FAQ

Quick, plain-English answers to common questions about how solar equipment works. For decisions about your own home, always get professional advice.

What actually turns sunlight into electricity?

Solar cells, usually made of silicon, use the photovoltaic effect: light knocks electrons loose and the cell's built-in electric field pushes them into a current. Many cells wired together make a panel. Our technology explainers go further.

What is the difference between monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film panels?

Monocrystalline cells are cut from a single silicon crystal and are generally the most efficient and most common on homes today. Polycrystalline cells are made from many crystals and are usually a little less efficient. Thin-film panels are lighter and more flexible but less efficient, so they need more area. See the panel comparison.

What does panel "efficiency" mean?

It is the share of the sunlight hitting the panel that comes out as electricity under standard test conditions. Higher efficiency means more power from the same roof area; it does not by itself mean better value.

What does an inverter do?

Panels produce direct current (DC); homes and the grid use alternating current (AC). A string inverter converts the output of a whole row of panels, while microinverters or optimisers work panel by panel, which can help when parts of the roof are shaded.

How do home batteries work with solar?

A battery stores surplus solar power for use later, for example in the evening or during an outage. Usable capacity, power output and warranty terms matter more than the headline size. Our storage explainer covers how battery technology is developing.

Are perovskite cells available for my roof yet?

Perovskite and perovskite-silicon tandem cells have reached high efficiencies in laboratories, and manufacturers are working on commercial products, but durability and large-scale production remain the main hurdles. See our perovskite explainer.

What are floating solar and agrivoltaics?

Floating solar mounts panels on reservoirs and other water bodies; agrivoltaics shares land between solar arrays and farming. Both aim to make more of limited space. Read about floating solar and agrivoltaics.

Does SunRecent sell or install solar?

No. SunRecent is an independent informational site. See our disclaimer.