太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)(yang)能(neng)發(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)分為光(guang)(guang)熱發(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和光(guang)(guang)伏發(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)。通常說(shuo)的(de)(de)太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)(yang)能(neng)發(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)指的(de)(de)是(shi)(shi)太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)(yang)能(neng)光(guang)(guang)伏發(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)，簡稱“光(guang)(guang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)”。光(guang)(guang)伏發(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)是(shi)(shi)利用半導(dao)體界(jie)面的(de)(de)光(guang)(guang)生伏特效應(ying)而將(jiang)光(guang)(guang)能(neng)直接轉變為電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能(neng)的(de)(de)一種技(ji)術。這種技(ji)術的(de)(de)關鍵元件是(shi)(shi)太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)(yang)能(neng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池。太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)(yang)能(neng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池經過串聯后(hou)進行(xing)封(feng)裝保護可形成(cheng)大(da)面積的(de)(de)太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)(yang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池組件，再配合上(shang)功率控(kong)制器(qi)等(deng)部件就形成(cheng)了光(guang)(guang)伏發(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)裝置。

理(li)論上講，光(guang)伏發(fa)電(dian)(dian)技術可以用于(yu)(yu)任何需(xu)要(yao)電(dian)(dian)源(yuan)(yuan)的(de)場合，上至航天(tian)器(qi)(qi)，下至家用電(dian)(dian)源(yuan)(yuan)，大(da)(da)到(dao)兆(zhao)瓦級電(dian)(dian)站，小到(dao)玩具(ju)，光(guang)伏電(dian)(dian)源(yuan)(yuan)無(wu)處不(bu)在。太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)光(guang)伏發(fa)電(dian)(dian)的(de)最基本元件(jian)是(shi)(shi)太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)電(dian)(dian)池（片），有單晶(jing)硅(gui)(gui)、多晶(jing)硅(gui)(gui)、非(fei)晶(jing)硅(gui)(gui)和薄膜電(dian)(dian)池等(deng)。其中，單晶(jing)和多晶(jing)電(dian)(dian)池用量(liang)最大(da)(da)，非(fei)晶(jing)電(dian)(dian)池用于(yu)(yu)一(yi)些小系統和計算器(qi)(qi)輔助電(dian)(dian)源(yuan)(yuan)等(deng)。中國(guo)國(guo)產(chan)晶(jing)體硅(gui)(gui)電(dian)(dian)池效率在10至13%左(zuo)右，國(guo)際上同類產(chan)品(pin)效率約12至14%。由一(yi)個或多個太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)電(dian)(dian)池片組成(cheng)的(de)太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)電(dian)(dian)池板稱為光(guang)伏組件(jian)。光(guang)伏發(fa)電(dian)(dian)產(chan)品(pin)主(zhu)要(yao)用于(yu)(yu)三(san)大(da)(da)方面(mian)：一(yi)是(shi)(shi)為無(wu)電(dian)(dian)場合提供電(dian)(dian)源(yuan)(yuan)；二是(shi)(shi)太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)日用電(dian)(dian)子產(chan)品(pin)，如(ru)各(ge)類太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)充電(dian)(dian)器(qi)(qi)、太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)路燈和太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)草地各(ge)種燈具(ju)等(deng)；三(san)是(shi)(shi)并網(wang)發(fa)電(dian)(dian)，這在發(fa)達(da)國(guo)家已經大(da)(da)面(mian)積推廣(guang)實(shi)施。到(dao)2009年，中國(guo)并網(wang)發(fa)電(dian)(dian)還未開始全面(mian)推廣(guang)，不(bu)過，2008年北京奧運會部(bu)分用電(dian)(dian)是(shi)(shi)由太(tai)(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)發(fa)電(dian)(dian)和風(feng)力(li)發(fa)電(dian)(dian)提供的(de)。

據預測，太(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)光(guang)伏發(fa)電(dian)在(zai)21世(shi)紀會(hui)占據世(shi)界能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)消費的(de)(de)重要席位，不但要替代部(bu)分常(chang)規能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)，而且將成為世(shi)界能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)供應的(de)(de)主(zhu)體。預計到(dao)2030年，可再生能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)在(zai)總能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)結(jie)構中將占到(dao)30%以(yi)(yi)上(shang)(shang)，而太(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)光(guang)伏發(fa)電(dian)在(zai)世(shi)界總電(dian)力(li)供應中的(de)(de)占比也將達到(dao)10%以(yi)(yi)上(shang)(shang)；到(dao)2040年，可再生能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)將占總能(neng)(neng)耗的(de)(de)50%以(yi)(yi)上(shang)(shang)，太(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)光(guang)伏發(fa)電(dian)將占總電(dian)力(li)的(de)(de)20%以(yi)(yi)上(shang)(shang)；到(dao)21世(shi)紀末，可再生能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)在(zai)能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)結(jie)構中將占到(dao)80%以(yi)(yi)上(shang)(shang)，太(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)發(fa)電(dian)將占到(dao)60%以(yi)(yi)上(shang)(shang)。這些數字足以(yi)(yi)顯示出太(tai)陽(yang)能(neng)(neng)光(guang)伏產(chan)業的(de)(de)發(fa)展前景及其(qi)在(zai)能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)領(ling)域重要的(de)(de)戰(zhan)略地(di)位。