Practical Photovoltaics
Electricity from Solar Cell, 3rd Edition 3.1
By Richard Komp, Ph.D

The classic reference on solar electricity - reorganized, revised, and updated again in 2001. Physicist, international educator and consultant, and solar home dweller Richard Komp writes a comprehensive guide to both the theory and the reality of PV. Examines the past, present, and future of the technology and the industry; details system installation and maintenance; provides step-by-step instructions to constructing a PV module - a creative way to demystify the technology.

Richard Komp presents the theory and practice of photovoltaics in a non-technical manner. Read this book and you will know how solar cells are made and how they are assembled into modules. Included are well-illustrated, step-by-step instructions for constructing your own solar module, a creative approach to demystifying the technology.

It explains the difference between single crystal, poly-crystal and amorphous silicon cells and even delves into many types of exotic solar cell technology.

System sizing, battery technology and failure mechanisms are discussed in depth. It even goes into the "oil company connection."

John Perlin, co-author of A Golden Thread: 2500 Years of Solar Architecture and Technology, overviews the history of solar electricity in the Introduction.

Presented in a clear, concise, and understandable style, Dr. Komp's contribution to PV literature has been called "the best single reference available", "the easiest and most complete education on photovoltaics", "one of the best basic books on PV", and "the best of the books".

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