Photovoltaics: A Diverse Technology

Notes from our reviewers

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• Teaching Tips
  Use video to help students understand the science engineering and technology behind Photovoltaic (PV) energy generation. The teacher should spend a bit of time discussing the concepts of band gap, electron hole pair, semiconductor materials, electromagnetic spectrum, and efficiency.
• About the Science
  Innovations, from using materials that lower manufacturing costs to expanding application and use, are driving the photovoltaic (PV) industry forward. A brief PV history demonstrates the materials innovation and evolution from high cost silicon to less expensive multi-silicon and thin film. Comments from expert scientist: The information is in the activity is strong and is not likely to be dated in the near future. The video provides a good overview of photovoltaics, but also delves into more scientific detail than similar programs.
• About the Pedagogy
  This video demonstrates how science, technology, and engineering are working together to innovate PV electricity generation. Good resource for student research especially in conjunction with the other resources at [https://www.eeremultimedia.energy.gov/solar/]
• Technical Details/Ease of Use
  Excellent video and audio quality. The video is closed captioned.