The generation of electricity has been dependent on fossil fuels for centuries now with the focus on three main fuels; coal, oil and natural gas. But as we continue through the twentieth century, these supplies have become harder and harder to find. As a direct result of this, electricity and fuel prices have risen dramatically. People are looking for more and more ways to solve or at least alleviate the inevitable crisis. One such solution is renewable energy. Countries have implemented hydro-electric dams which pull energy from the rushing water; wind turbines, which use wind to push giant blades around, using the kinetic energy to generate electricity. Another solution is the solar panel, which is very scalable, depending on the requirements. Here is how to make a solar panel step by step.

A solar panel works by absorbing the sunlight, which contains photons. These photons knock negatively charged electrons loose from the atoms and this generates the electricity. The material that absorbs the photons in the first place can be a semi-conducting material, such as silicon, and is found within a solar cell. It’s important to note that for a solar panel to work, it doesn’t have to be in perfect condition.

It’s possible to purchase some broken solar cells for a fraction of the price of a perfect-condition solar cell. You can buy solar cells that look broken, but actually come in random shapes by intention. For a solar panel, you need only spend $50-100 on a practical number of solar cells.

We’ll assume you purchase crystalline solar cells, as they are the simplest to install. For these, you’ll have a blue side and a silver side, which are negative and positive, respectively. For a panel of decent power, you’ll need to be producing 12+ volts.

Additionally, you’ll need a diode to keep the direction of power going one way. For example, if you were using the solar panel to charge batteries, the diode would stop the solar panel from drawing power back from the batteries. This is an essential device when using the solar panel to solely charge large-capacity batteries.

Hopefully, you’ll have purchased some higher-quality cells which are ready to solder. If not, it requires a lot of additional work and soldering, which may require more experience. Assuming you have solder-ready cells, let’s move. To protect the solar cells, which are very fragile, you should install them into a deep frame or in something that will protect them from being knocked or damage. To do this, solder them in series, which allows for easier expansion.

From here, you can do many different things. You could connect your newly-made solar panel to a battery and allow it to charge up or you could direct it through a DC input and consequently an AC converter to power other appliances. The utilities available for a functional solar panel are endless and if yours is efficient enough, you could even make it power items without the battery. With a high-volt solar panel, it’s possible to charge up items even without direct, bright sunlight.