A form of solar energy that directly converts light into energy. The term is a bit confusing since photovoltaic devices convert photons to watts, not volts. Light-sensitive devices often referred as photo cells are photovoltaic devices, and a photo cell can be either a detection device or sensor, or an energy generation device. Large collections of photovoltaic cells, referred to collectively as a solar array, can be used as sun farms. A few arrays constructed in the American Southwest are already in use genering commercial energy, but sun farms are typically only viable in regions which receive relatively little cloud or rain.

Photovoltaics is a related term used to refer either to the study of photovoltaic energy or to the equipment required to produce photovoltaic energy. Photovoltaic and photoelectric are synonymous.

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