SOLAR PV MANUFACTURING
The key to producing solar energy are the photo voltaic cells. Recent advances in solar energy has been advances in photo voltacis and their manufacturing. Let’s have a look at how there photo voltaics are produced.
GETTING THE SILICON:-
The most commonly used material for solar PVs is Silicon. Thank fully we have silicon in plenty available around the planet. Yes, sand, simple sand is mostly silicates. The first step in the manufacturing of the photo voltaics si in isolating the silicon. Quartz or gravel is crushed and then placed in a furnace. Here they are exposed to a carbon arc. This releases the oxygen in the form of carbon dioxide, while molten silicon is left behind.
PURIFICATION:- The silicon thus obtained needs to be purified further before it can be used to produce photo voltaics. This is done by using the floating zone technique. A rod of silicon is passed through an extremely hot zone in the same direction. After several times, the impurities collect towards one end of the rod.
MAKING THE CRYSTAL:-
Next comes the tricky party. How to create poly crystals- large structures that all the properties of a single crystal. This is done by immersing a single crystal of silicon into molten silicon. As the seed crystal is rotated, it collects more silicon within itself and a boule of silicon is formed.
CUTTING THE WAFERS:-
The boule is then sliced wafer thin using a circular saw to create silicon wafers. Sometimes the wafers are cut in rectangular or hexagonal shapes.
DOPING:-
The silicon wafers are heated almost to melting point. At this point, they are exposed to boron or phosphorous gas. The gas is absorbed into the body of the silicon wafers. This is called doping.
ANTI REFLECTIVE COATING:-
Silicon is shiny and is likely to reflect most of the sun light that will fall on it. This can lead to a great loss in energy available for electricity production. An anti-reflective coating therefore is added to it.
ENCAPSULATING:-
The silicon is then sealed with Silicon rubber or an acetate. And the photo voltaic is ready.
CREATING THE SOLAR REVOLUTION

The more electricity that we use from solar energy. The less we depend on fossil fuels. Reducing the pressure on the country’s economy as well the environment. In the future, solar energy is therefore sure to play a crucial part of everyone’s lives.