Photovoltaic modules, or solar modules, are devices that gather energy from the sun and convert it into electrical power through the use of semiconductor-based cells. It is a type of photoelectric cell, a device whose electrical characteristics (such as current, voltage, or. Photovoltaics (PV) is the conversion of light into electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect, a phenomenon studied in physics, photochemistry, and electrochemistry. We'll explain the science of silicon solar cells, which comprise most solar panels.