text: can someone please find me info on how solar energy or light turns to usable energy? i'm looking for diagrams or explaination on how the solar cell convert the solar energy to the usable energy.  please it'll be a great help if anyone finds it. i've been googling alot but no help. though i want something like this http://members.tripod.com/robomaniac_2001/2dd55000.jpg unfortunately, the picture is too small.  thanks in advance here is an interactive animated diagram of a photovoltaic cell.  http://www.mic-d.com/java/solarcell/  it includes a long explanation of how it works.