About Solar
Solar Panel Systems
Photovoltaic, or PV for short, is a solar power technology that uses solar cells to convert light from the sun directly into electricity. This unique process uses no moving parts, thereby nothing can wear out. To explain the photovoltaic solar panel more simply, photons from sunlight knock electrons into a higher state of energy, creating electricity.
Photovoltaic solar cells use the energy of the sun’s light to cause electrons to move between layers of a semi-conductor material, such as silicon. Once moved, the electron wants to return, but cannot jump back. It gets back by flowing through wires and circuits which creates electron flow or direct current (DC) electricity.
(Courtesy North Carolina Solar Center)
Interesting Solar Facts
- The sun radiates approximately 1000 watts per square meter of area.
- The sun sends 15,000 times as much energy to the Earth as we consume worldwide on a daily basis.
- This available energy is clean, safe and environmentally friendly.
- Solar power is a free energy supply that in contrast to fossil energy sources, such as oil and natural gas is available in limitless quantities.
Net Metering
The first practical application of photovoltaic technology was to power orbiting satellites, followed by off-grid stand alone solar power systems. Today, the majority of photovoltaic modules are used for grid-tied power generation. Grid-tied connected solar is made possible by a practice called net metering.
Net metering is a simple concept; power created from your solar system is connected to the electric grid and credited in real time. Any excess power created by the solar system that you are not using, at that moment, is fed back into the power grid. As this excess power is “back-fed”, your meter operates in reverse. Literally your meter spins backward! The power grid is managed by your local utility company and includes everyone connected to it. Any power you don’t use is credited back to you and reduces your bill. Net metering simplifies the solar system design into four major components:
- Solar Modules – The solar modules or solar panels as they are commonly known are the power generating device of the system. Whenever light is present (even on cloudy days) the panels will generate electricity.
- Racking System – This is the permanent support system attached to the structure of a building or to the ground on which the solar panels are fastened.
- Wiring System – This is the electrical set of wiring and disconnect switches between the solar modules and the meter.
- Solar Inverter – This is a power conditioning device which changes the current coming from the solar modules in the form of Direct Current (DC Power) into Alternating Current (AC Power). The inverter is responsible for making the solar system power match synchronously the power coming from the utility.
