How does solar power work

It is a known fact that the amount of energy that reaches earth everyday in the form of sunlight is enough to supply the entire planet with all the electricity it needs and more than just one time around at that. Now, to turn the energy contained in sunlight to usable electrical energy, a semiconductor is required which is capable of transforming the sun’ rays to electricity when sunlight hits it. Such a device is known as a solar panel or a photovoltaic cell. The oldest and the first photovoltaic cells were made of silicon, one of the most common elements that are found on our planet. The capability of silicon to convert light energy into electrical energy had made it an important discovery, but it is also quite expensive to use this element for capturing solar power.
http://www.biofuelswatch.com/how-does-solar-power-work/