The results of this energy nowadays

The first photovoltaic layer consists of a single, large surface pn junction diode, capable of generating usable electrical energy from light sources with wavelengths of sunlight. These cells are typically made using silicon wafers. The first generation of cells are the dominant technology in commercial production, accounting for over 86% of the market.

The second generation of photovoltaic materials is based on the use of thin films of semiconductor deposits. The advantage of using these films is to reduce the amount of materials needed to produce them, as well as costs. Currently (2006), there are different technologies and semiconductor materials under investigation or in mass production, such as amorphous silicon, poly-crystalline silicon or micro-crystalline telluric cadmium, copper indium selenide / sulfide. Typically, the efficiencies of solar cells films are low when compared with the silicon compact but manufacturing costs are also lower, so that can achieve a lower price per watt. Also, they have reduced mass, which requires less support when placing panels on rooftops and lets arrange them and arrange them in flexible materials such as textiles.
The third generation photovoltaics is very different from the previous two, defined by using semiconductors that depend on the pn junction to separate charged particles by fotogestão. These new devices include fotoelectroquímicas cells and cells of nanocrystals.