Optical-hluav taws xob ncaj qha kev hloov txheej txheem Txoj kev no siv cov yees duab photoelectric effect kom hloov ncaj qha hnub ci hluav taws xob hloov hluav taws xob ua lub zog hluav taws xob. Cov khoom siv tseem ceeb ntawm kev hloov kho hluav taws xob-kho qhov muag yog hnub ci hlwb. Lub xov tooj ntawm hnub ci yog ib qho khoom siv uas hloov ncaj qha hnub ci zog rau lub zog hluav taws xob vim yog cov nyhuv photovoltaic. Nws yog cov duab hluav taws xob semiconductor. Thaum lub hnub ci tuaj rau ntawm photodiode, lub hnub ci vaj huam sib luag photodiode yuav tig lub hnub ci teeb ci rau hauv hluav taws xob lub zog rau kev tsim hluav taws xob tam sim no. Thaum ntau lub roj teeb txuas nrog rau hauv cov kab los yog hauv cov hluav taws xob sib txuas, hnub ci vaj huam sib luag nws tuaj yeem dhau los ua lub hnub ci cell array nrog cov tso zis hluav taws xob loj.
Hnub ci hlwb yog cog kev cog lus tshiab ntawm cov khoom siv hluav taws xob, hnub ci vaj huam sib luag nrog peb qhov tseem ceeb ntawm kev ua haujlwm ruaj khov, kev ua kom huv thiab hloov pauv. Cov hnub ci hlwb muaj lub neej ntev, ntev npaum li lub hnub muaj, cov hnub ci hlwb yuav nqis peev hauv ib zaug thiab siv tau ntev; thiab lub zog thermal tsim hluav taws xob, hluav taws xob nuclear hluav taws xob Hauv kev sib piv, cov hnub ci hlwb tsis ua rau ib puag ncig muaj paug; lub hnub ci roj tuaj yeem loj, nruab nrab thiab me me, hnub ci vaj huam sib luag loj npaum li ib lab kilowatt hauv nruab nrab lub zog hluav taws xob chaw nres tsheb, me me li lub hnub ci roj teeb ntim rau ib tsev neeg, hnub ci vaj huam sib luag uas tsis sib luag nrog lwm lub zog siv.