Making electricity from the sun is surprisingly simple. Learning how to make my own solar cell literally put me in touch with this technology of the future.

Ever since I was in grade 8, when I made a solar oven for my science class during COVID-19, I have been fascinated by the idea of harnessing solar energy and using it to power our lives. I became obsessed with researching more about solar panels and finding a hands-on way to learn about how panels actually work. I read through articles and blogs and saw that it was possible to make one at home. After watching dozens of YouTube videos on how to make one, I ordered all of my materials on Amazon. As the parcels began to arrive, I collected everything in my room and got to work. 

I started by drawing out the pathway through which the electrons would travel on a thin, rectangular-shaped piece of copper. Then I placed the copper board into a bath of ferrous oxide to etch the pathway. This pathway essentially acted as a path for the photons to flow through. Without the etching, the photons would simply move randomly through the copper. I then applied a zinc paste to the board to improve light absorption and sealed everything with a coating of clear nail polish to prevent it from tarnishing. 

After two attempts of making the panel (the first of which failed as I had not etched the board properly), I made progress. Once the panel was all connected, I put my frail contraption on a windowsill and connected it to an ammeter to see if it would work. Although it is not a traditional solar panel with two oppositely charged sides, this tiny but mighty panel was still able to produce 0.62 microvolts of energy, enough to fire a neuron. The amount of electricity may have been small, but the joy I felt at that moment was unmeasured. I was amazed that somehow, I had created a vessel that could produce electricity. At that moment, I knew solar panels were something I wanted to explore.

What is a solar panel, anyway?

My solar panel was as basic as it comes. I put the solar panel on a windowsill and exposed it to the sun. The panel absorbs light energy in the form of photons, which gives the electrons enough energy to break their atomic bond to the nucleus. Once released, the electrons can flow freely and move through the etched “circuit” in the copper board, creating an electrical current. 

Traditional rooftop silicon photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are those you see on the side of the road or on roofs. First developed in the 1950s, they have two layers of silicon in them. They have one layer which is doped (treated to create an electron imbalance) with phosphorus, creating a negative charge, and the other is doped with boron, creating a positive charge. Essentially, the electrons are constantly moving to try to fill up the holes on either side of the panel — this movement is the current. 

By having two layers doped with different elements, the sides develop a charge that’s different from the other, allowing electrons to flow through the panel, creating a current — electricity! 

Having made a panel, now when I see rooftop or roadside panels, I have come to appreciate how much they can power already — and they are getting better all the time. Whether you see a solar panel on the side of the road or on someone’s house, you now know how these  amazing — and simple — contraptions work.

What’s it like to have a job bringing solar energy capacity far and wide? Meet a woman who does just that in our student interview with Kim Jawanda.