Individual solar cell devices are often the electrical building blocks of photovoltaic modules, known colloquially as "solar panels". Almost all commercial PV cells consist of crystalline silicon, with a market share of 95%. Polysilicon is commonly manufactured using methods that rely on highly reactive gases, synthesized primarily using. A solar cell, also known as a photovoltaic cell (PV cell), is an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by using the photovoltaic effect. The actual solar cells are made of silicon semiconductors that absorb sunlight and then convert it into electricity. Today satellites, spacecraft.