How Do Solar Panels Work

Renewable energy sources are becoming more popular as fossil fuels become more expensive to find and mine. This cost is passed onto the consumer, and in some cases it now makes more sense to install solar panels rather than use grid electricity. In areas like California it makes sense not only in terms of cost but the region is climatically ideal for solar energy creation. This article will cover how solar panels works and why most houses will have one on the roof in the near future.

One solar panel is made up of a number of solar cells. Solar cells are typically made of silicon dioxide. When sunlight strikes these cells, it causes a reaction that displaces an electron from the silicon dioxide. Solar cells are aligned in series or parallel configurations. The displacing of an electron passes from one cell to the other causing a direct current (DC) of electricity to pass through the solar panel.

Direct current is generally used to radios and other battery appliances. It is not useful in most standard houses however because they use alternating current (AC). This is  partly a legacy form the grid systems. AC is easier to transport than DC so many utility companies used AC and by default houses attached to the grid had to use AC.

However, in terms of solar panels, the DC electricity can either be stored in batteries and used on DC appliances or it can be converted to AC using an inverter or converter. These converters are similar to the ones many people use in their recreational vehicles to power things like coffee makers, power tools and other items that run on regular household current.

The difference is the electricity gathered through the solar power panels charges the batteries in the solar system. A charge regulator ensures that the batteries remain charged  when being used to power an appliances.

The size of the solar power panels also determines how much electricity will be produced (provided the sun is shinning of course). Depending on your energy needs panels can be added to meet this need. Another consideration when using solar energy is to use it wisely. Insulate the home adequately so that energy is not lost. Don't leave lights on when you are not using them.

At the current price of solar power panels it may not be economical to design a system to power the entire house without backup power in the event of cloudy days or at night. However this will change in the near future.

The federal and state governments make investing in renewable energy more enticing through the offer of tax breaks, sometimes reducing the costs of buying and installing solar power panels by as much as 50 percent. Most of the solar power panels have a life expectancy of about 10 years and once installed the electric bills from the utility company will be eliminated.

Reliability is one factor that has many people reluctant to switch to using solar power panels as their sole source of electric power. Part of this caution is due to the still relative young age of the technology in whole-house applications and the partly due to the comfort level of having electricity regardless of the weather,

While solar power panels cannot work on cloudy days or at night, the produced power stored in batteries, is typically enough to power most devices throughout the night until the next sun cycle during which the batteries are recharged.

If you decide to go completely solar and drop off the grid then it is always wise to set up a back up system. This can be a fuel powered generator, or, in keeping with the renewable energy philosophy, wind power.

If this is the option you ultimately go for, you need to use as many solar powered appliances as you can. You also have to design your home and lifestyle to make the most of the power that you generate from the Sun and other natural and renewable resources.