Qhov no yog lub hauv paus tseem ceeb ntawm lub hnub ci photovoltaic lub zog tsim hluav taws xob, thiab nws lub luag haujlwm tseem ceeb yog hloov hnub ci photons rau hauv hluav taws xob, yog li tsav lub nra mus ua haujlwm. Hnub ci hnub ci tau muab faib ua monocrystalline silicon hnub ci hlwb, polycrystalline silicon hnub ci hlwb, thiab amorphous silicon solar cells. Lub roj teeb monocrystalline silicon yog qhov ruaj khov dua li ob hom, muaj lub neej ua haujlwm ntev (feem ntau mus txog 20 xyoo), thiab muaj kev ua haujlwm siab photoelectric hloov dua siab tshiab, uas ua rau nws siv roj teeb ntau tshaj plaws.