太(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)發(fa)(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)分(fen)為(wei)光(guang)(guang)熱發(fa)(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)和光(guang)(guang)伏(fu)發(fa)(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)。通常(chang)說的(de)(de)(de)(de)太(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)發(fa)(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)指的(de)(de)(de)(de)是(shi)太(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)光(guang)(guang)伏(fu)發(fa)(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)，簡稱“光(guang)(guang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)”。光(guang)(guang)伏(fu)發(fa)(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)是(shi)利(li)用半導體界面(mian)(mian)的(de)(de)(de)(de)光(guang)(guang)生伏(fu)特效應而將光(guang)(guang)能(neng)(neng)直(zhi)接轉變為(wei)電(dian)(dian)(dian)能(neng)(neng)的(de)(de)(de)(de)一種技術(shu)(shu)。這種技術(shu)(shu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)關鍵元件是(shi)太(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池。太(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池經(jing)過串聯(lian)后進行(xing)封裝保護可形成(cheng)大(da)面(mian)(mian)積(ji)的(de)(de)(de)(de)太(tai)陽(yang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池組件，再配合(he)上功率控制器等(deng)部(bu)件就形成(cheng)了光(guang)(guang)伏(fu)發(fa)(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)裝置。

理(li)論上(shang)講，光(guang)伏發(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)技術(shu)可(ke)以用于(yu)(yu)任何需要電(dian)(dian)(dian)源(yuan)的場合，上(shang)至(zhi)航天器，下至(zhi)家用電(dian)(dian)(dian)源(yuan)，大(da)到(dao)(dao)兆瓦級電(dian)(dian)(dian)站，小到(dao)(dao)玩具，光(guang)伏電(dian)(dian)(dian)源(yuan)無處不(bu)在(zai)。太(tai)陽(yang)(yang)(yang)(yang)能(neng)(neng)光(guang)伏發(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)的最(zui)基本元件是(shi)太(tai)陽(yang)(yang)(yang)(yang)能(neng)(neng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池（片），有單晶硅(gui)(gui)、多晶硅(gui)(gui)、非晶硅(gui)(gui)和(he)薄膜電(dian)(dian)(dian)池等(deng)。其中，單晶和(he)多晶電(dian)(dian)(dian)池用量最(zui)大(da)，非晶電(dian)(dian)(dian)池用于(yu)(yu)一些小系統和(he)計算器輔(fu)助電(dian)(dian)(dian)源(yuan)等(deng)。中國(guo)國(guo)產(chan)(chan)晶體硅(gui)(gui)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池效率(lv)(lv)在(zai)10至(zhi)13%左右，國(guo)際上(shang)同類(lei)產(chan)(chan)品效率(lv)(lv)約12至(zhi)14%。由一個或多個太(tai)陽(yang)(yang)(yang)(yang)能(neng)(neng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池片組成的太(tai)陽(yang)(yang)(yang)(yang)能(neng)(neng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池板稱為(wei)(wei)光(guang)伏組件。光(guang)伏發(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)產(chan)(chan)品主要用于(yu)(yu)三大(da)方面(mian)(mian)：一是(shi)為(wei)(wei)無電(dian)(dian)(dian)場合提(ti)供(gong)電(dian)(dian)(dian)源(yuan)；二是(shi)太(tai)陽(yang)(yang)(yang)(yang)能(neng)(neng)日用電(dian)(dian)(dian)子產(chan)(chan)品，如各類(lei)太(tai)陽(yang)(yang)(yang)(yang)能(neng)(neng)充電(dian)(dian)(dian)器、太(tai)陽(yang)(yang)(yang)(yang)能(neng)(neng)路(lu)燈和(he)太(tai)陽(yang)(yang)(yang)(yang)能(neng)(neng)草(cao)地各種燈具等(deng)；三是(shi)并網(wang)發(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)，這在(zai)發(fa)(fa)達(da)國(guo)家已(yi)經(jing)大(da)面(mian)(mian)積(ji)推(tui)廣實施(shi)。到(dao)(dao)2009年，中國(guo)并網(wang)發(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)還未開始全面(mian)(mian)推(tui)廣，不(bu)過，2008年北京奧運會(hui)部分(fen)用電(dian)(dian)(dian)是(shi)由太(tai)陽(yang)(yang)(yang)(yang)能(neng)(neng)發(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)和(he)風(feng)力發(fa)(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)提(ti)供(gong)的。

據預(yu)測，太陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)光伏發電(dian)(dian)在(zai)21世(shi)(shi)紀會(hui)占(zhan)(zhan)據世(shi)(shi)界能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)消費的重要(yao)席位(wei)，不但(dan)要(yao)替代部分(fen)常規(gui)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)，而且將(jiang)成(cheng)為世(shi)(shi)界能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)供(gong)應的主體(ti)。預(yu)計到(dao)(dao)(dao)(dao)2030年(nian)(nian)，可(ke)再生能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)在(zai)總(zong)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)結(jie)構中將(jiang)占(zhan)(zhan)到(dao)(dao)(dao)(dao)30%以(yi)上(shang)(shang)，而太陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)光伏發電(dian)(dian)在(zai)世(shi)(shi)界總(zong)電(dian)(dian)力(li)供(gong)應中的占(zhan)(zhan)比也將(jiang)達到(dao)(dao)(dao)(dao)10%以(yi)上(shang)(shang)；到(dao)(dao)(dao)(dao)2040年(nian)(nian)，可(ke)再生能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)將(jiang)占(zhan)(zhan)總(zong)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)耗的50%以(yi)上(shang)(shang)，太陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)光伏發電(dian)(dian)將(jiang)占(zhan)(zhan)總(zong)電(dian)(dian)力(li)的20%以(yi)上(shang)(shang)；到(dao)(dao)(dao)(dao)21世(shi)(shi)紀末，可(ke)再生能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)在(zai)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)結(jie)構中將(jiang)占(zhan)(zhan)到(dao)(dao)(dao)(dao)80%以(yi)上(shang)(shang)，太陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)發電(dian)(dian)將(jiang)占(zhan)(zhan)到(dao)(dao)(dao)(dao)60%以(yi)上(shang)(shang)。這些數字(zi)足以(yi)顯(xian)示出太陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)光伏產業的發展前(qian)景及(ji)其在(zai)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)領域重要(yao)的戰略地(di)位(wei)。