photovoltaic

adjective

pho·​to·​vol·​ta·​ic ˌfō-tō-väl-ˈtā-ik 

-vōl-

: of, relating to, or utilizing the generation of a voltage when radiant energy falls on the boundary between dissimilar substances (such as two different semiconductors)

photovoltaic noun

Did you know?

Sunshine and Photovoltaic

The -voltaic part of photovoltaic comes from the name of Alessandro Volta, inventor of the electric battery. Thus, unlike photoelectric cells, which use electricity for certain small tasks, photovoltaic (or PV) cells actually produce electricity. Solar cells, the standard type of photovoltaic cells (often called simply photocells), operate without chemicals and with no moving parts to create energy directly from sunlight. Much research is now being done on creating an alternative technology—solar film, which could be stuck onto almost any surface, or possibly even sprayed on.

Examples of photovoltaic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The cathedrals in Salisbury and Gloucester have them, and this project may open the door to more: A neighboring Cambridge college, Trinity, is contemplating whether to put photovoltaic panels on the roof of its chapel, which dates to the 16th century. —Mark Landler, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024

Vermont doesn’t offer incentives for installing photovoltaic panels, but the IRA extended the 30 percent federal tax credit through 2032, bringing our eventual outlay to $22,236. —Tik Root, Grist, Quartz, 29 Mar. 2024

Despite the fact that some states have gone so far as to ban use of these materials, there’s no evidence that today’s photovoltaic cells contain arsenic, germanium, hexavalent chromium or perfluoroalkyl substances. —Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2024

Wind in China’s Solar Sails As the U.S. tries to diversify the clean energy supply chain with Indian solar, China still dominates photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing, accounting for nearly 80% of global production. —Dipka Bhambhani, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023

Governments and large companies are building massive facilities to provide both solar thermal and photovoltaic energy, converting the sun’s energy into electricity for millions of homes and businesses. —Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2023

But those windows aren’t just run of the mill—the design team installed more than 52,000 square feet of photovoltaic glass, which generates its own electricity. —Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Dec. 2023

Bringing reliable power to a remote community The photovoltaic panels connect to a battery storage system, which consists of a 38.4-kWh battery bank of 16 200-amp batteries and a voltmeter. —IEEE Spectrum, 30 Sep. 2023

Wearing layers The idea behind two-layer—called tandem—photovoltaic devices is very simple. —John Timmer, Ars Technica, 7 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above