You will be amazed to come across that the solar is the most effective source of energy on the Earth. By capturing the energy of the sun, you can produce electricity for your home or commercial areas. Solar energy is a perfect way to combat the current climate crisis and reduce the reliance on fossil fuels.

Solar energy can be captured in several ways, the most common method is a photovoltaic solar panel system that turns sun rays into usable electricity. Apart from using PV for generating electricity, it can be used in thermal applications to heat fluids or indoor spaces. Solar panels can be installed in three major scales i.e., residential, commercial, and utility. 

To help you get started, we have put together a guide to give you a thorough understanding of solar panels. 

First of all, what is Solar Panel?

Solar panels typically consist of photovoltaic cells, using solar energy directly from the sun to produce electricity for everyday purposes. Being eco-friendly and sustainable in nature, solar panels accumulate the solar energy available on the planet and convert it into a reliable source of electricity using advanced technology. 

Basics of Solar Panel Systems

Once you know its tremendous benefits, you will be thankful for the development of solar panels. It allows you to harness the energy of an infinite source of power i.e., the sun. Solar panel systems work much easier:

• During the day, solar cells present in solar panels simply absorb the energy from sunlight.
• Circuits within the cells gather that energy and convert it into direct current (DC) energy.
• The direct current is transferred through the device called the inverter to turn it into an alternating current (AC) that comes out of wall outlets.
• All of this means you can have a consistent source of electricity in your home, preserve it using a solar battery, or deliver it back to the grid.

Components of a Solar Panel System

There are four main components that make the solar panel system pretty straightforward, complete, and easy to maintain. It includes:

• Solar photovoltaic panels – to convert solar energy into electricity
• Inverters – used to convert DC electricity into AC electricity
• Racking and mounting system – used to attach your solar panels to the roof or ground, depending on your installation type
• Performance monitoring systems – used to monitor the output and overall health of solar panels and inverters

How do Solar Panels Work?

A solar panel is comprised of a layer of silicon cells, a glass casing unit, a metal frame, and wiring to transport electric current from the silicon. When the light knocks a silicon cell, it produces electrons in the silicon in motion, resulting in a flow of electric current. This is termed the photovoltaic effect, which is a basic functionality of solar panels. The wires capture and provide DC electricity to the solar inverter to convert it into AC electricity.

To know more about solar power and solar panel system, reach out to suntask.ie.