Solar Education

How do solar panels generate electricity for your home?

The folks at Energy Sage have some amazing content around solar education and we have referenced a lot of their work here for your benefit. You can check them out if you want to go even deeper. Enjoy a brief introduction into how solar panels can power your home.

How does solar energy work?

In 1954, scientists at Bell Telephone discovered that silicon, an element found in sand, created an electric charge when it was exposed to sunlight. This discovery led to the development of solar cells that captured the sun’s energy and turned it into electricity. Since then, the technology has evolved, and solar power systems now provide incredibly attractive financial benefits for homeowners, businesses, and non-profits across the United States.

Thanks to solar panels, we have access to an inexhaustible source of power – the sun. Throughout the day, the cells on your solar panels absorb the energy from sunlight. Circuits within the cells collect that energy and turn it into direct current (DC) electricity. The DC electricity is passed through a device called an inverter to convert it to the alternating current (AC) electricity used by most homes and businesses. You can use that electricity in your home, store it with a solar battery, or send it back to the grid.

Solar panel system components

1. Solar photovoltaic panels (“solar panels”)
2. Inverters
3. Racking and mounting systems
4. Batteries
5. Performance monitoring systems

Solar Panels

Solar panels collect and convert the sun’s energy into electricity. They are a key component of a solar panel system. Most commonly available panels today are either poly-crystalline or mono-crystalline solar panels.

The key differences between poly- and mono-crystalline panels are in efficiency and cost. Typically, mono-crystalline panels are more efficient (and thus more expensive) than poly-crystalline panels.

Performance and Monitoring