Installing solar panels at you home, not only helps the environment, it can save in money for years to come. If you have been wondering about how solar panels work, or how they can benefit you, keep reading and find out!
What is Solar Energy?
Solar energy is energy that is captured from the sun. Each day the sun produces 120,000 terawatts that flow through the earth. This equates to 10,000 times more energy than what goes through our civilization at anytime. The sun is a natural nuclear reactor, and the energy it produces in not only renewable, but more than enough to power most households consistently for extended periods of time. In the United States alone there are 1.3 million solar installations, all with an accumulative capacity of around 40 gigawatts. To put that into perspective, the Solar Energy Industries Association approximates that 1 megawatt of electricity can sustain 164 households. By comparison 40 gigawatts is enough to power 6,560,000 homes! With these statistics it’s a wonder the entire world hasn’t embraced solar energy. Doing so would not only cut down on electricity costs, but it would help reduce the burning of fossil fuels and finite resources such as coal and oil.
What are Solar Panels Good for? How Do They Work?
Scientifically speaking, solar panels separate electrons from atoms, when this happens and conductors are connected to the panel a circuit is formed. As the separated electrons flow through this circuit, electricity is formed. Most solar panels are made from silicon, with a positive and negative layer. This is similar to a battery in the way it creates an electrical field, the difference being panels are recharged when exposed to solar rays.
How Do Solar Panels for Homes Work?
Typically solar panels are installed upon the roof of the structure, to insure a maximum exposure. As the panels take in solar energy, it flows through the current and into an inverter. An inverter changes the current from DC to AC, which can then be used in your home (to play your favourite AC/DC tapes!). As long as as the panels keep receiving solar rays they will keep helping to power your home. Solar energy is the definition of clean energy, and it is growing in popularity and affordability all the time. Tax breaks may even be available to those who choose to have panels installed in their home! Additionally, more energy than is needed is frequently generated from the panels. In a standard grid connected system, this excess is fed into the main power grid to be used somewhere else. A homeowner will benefit from this though a credit system that can be used to supplement power to their home at night or during extended cloudy days. Essentially, this allows you access to the power grid when needed without having to pay for the wattage that is being used, depending on how much credit you have accrued. Using this method will definitely a smart method if you are looking to nearly eliminate your electric bill.
Solar energy is a clean renewable energy source, and solar panel installation for homes is rising in popularity throughout the United States. They can help to power your house, and cut your electric bill down to nearly nothing; and that’s not counting the tax breaks you can receive from having them installed. So whether you’re conscious about the environment, or just fed up with having your heating and cooling send your electric bill sky high, solar energy might be the solution you’re looking for. Do you or someone you know already have solar panels installed? Leave a comment below, and let us know how it’s benefited them!
