光伏发电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)的(de)(de)主要原理(li)是半导(dao)体(ti)(ti)的(de)(de)光电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)效应。当(dang)光子(zi)撞击金(jin)属时，其(qi)能(neng)量(liang)可以(yi)被金(jin)属中的(de)(de)一个(ge)电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)子(zi)完全吸收。电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)子(zi)吸收的(de)(de)能(neng)量(liang)大到足以(yi)克服金(jin)属原子(zi)内(nei)部的(de)(de)库(ku)仑力(li)做功并从金(jin)属表(biao)面逃(tao)逸，成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)为(wei)光电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)子(zi)。硅(gui)有四(si)个(ge)外层电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)子(zi)。如(ru)(ru)果(guo)纯硅(gui)掺(chan)杂有五个(ge)外层电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)子(zi)的(de)(de)原子(zi)，比(bi)如(ru)(ru)磷(lin)原子(zi)，就会变成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)N型(xing)半导(dao)体(ti)(ti)。如(ru)(ru)果(guo)纯硅(gui)掺(chan)杂有三个(ge)外层电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)子(zi)的(de)(de)原子(zi)，例如(ru)(ru)硼原子(zi)，就形成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)了P型(xing)半导(dao)体(ti)(ti)。P型(xing)和N型(xing)结合在(zai)一起，接触面就会形成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)位差，成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)为(wei)太阳能(neng)电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池。当(dang)太阳光照(zhao)射到pn结上(shang)时，电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)从P型(xing)侧流(liu)向(xiang)N型(xing)侧，形成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)电(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)。

     光电效应是物理学中一个重要而神奇的现象。在高于一定频率的电磁波照射下，某些物质中的电子吸收能量后逃逸形成电流，即光电。
经过多晶硅铸锭、断锭、切片等工序，制成待加工的硅片。通过在硅片上掺杂和扩散少量硼和磷来形成P-N结。然后采用丝网印刷，将配制好的银浆印刷在硅片上制作栅线，烧结后，在有栅线的表面涂上减反射涂层，制成电池。电池被排列和组合成电池组件，形成大的电路板。一般是一个铝框包裹着元器件，正面用玻璃覆盖。加上电池组件和其他辅助设备，可以组成一个河南光伏发电系统。为了将直流电转换成交流电，需要安装变流器。发电后可储存在蓄电池中或输入公共电网。在发电系统的成本中，电池组件约占50%，而电流转换器、安装费、其他辅助组件和其他费用又占50%。