how do solar panels make energy from the sun?

Question: how do solar panels make energy from the sun?
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Asked by Charlie D to Megan, Mzamo, Ola, Olivia, Weiyi on 9 Nov 2016.
- Megan Seymour answered on 9 Nov 2016:
  
  That’s a great question!
  The chemistry that takes place inside a solar panel is actually quite complex but here goes! –
  The sunlight shines through a transparent layer on the solar panel and reaches a material called a semiconductor. In the semiconductor, the suns energy allows the first layer of the semiconductor to push an electron into the second layer of semiconductor.
  The donation of electrons sets up a difference in charge over the solar panel and this allows electrons to flow around a circuit- which is electricity!
- Ola Michalec answered on 11 Nov 2016:
  
  Also, have you heard about different types of solar energy?
  
  Solar cells or “photovoltaic” panels create electricty directly, like Megan explained
  
  Solar “thermal” panels work by heating up water in a boiler.
- Olivia Ashton answered on 12 Nov 2016:
  
  Great question, and Megan has done a great job of explaining it.
  
  Sunlight goes in, electrons get excited and move, if they have enough energy they get to move away from their original position, and get transported to electrodes and the electricity flows around.
  
  Some colleagues of mine did a great podcast on this, which puts it in a really simple way – you can listen hear:http://www.cdt-pv.org/media/podcast/004.mp3

Question: how do solar panels make energy from the sun?

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