Nowadays, solar energy is the most abundant energy resource. Solar energy is produced by the sun. It is clean, free, and efficient. You can use solar energy to power your home, office, and even a car.
A solar panel system, also known as a solar photovoltaic (PV) system, or a solar energy system, generates energy from the sunlight.
Going solar is a significant investment. Using solar energy will help you save money and decrease your electricity bills. Surplus, you can earn money, sending excess energy back to the utility grid or using financial incentives and rebates and tax return on energy investment.
What Are Solar Panels Made Of?
There are two main types of solar panels:
- Solar photovoltaic panels
- Solar thermal panels.
Solar PV panels are made of solar cells, also called photovoltaic cells. Solar cells are made of semiconductor materials (e.g., silicon).
How Does A Solar Panel Work?
Solar PV panels cells absorb sunlight and convert it into DC electricity. When the sunlight hits the solar cell, the electrons are separated from the atoms and flow through the cells, generating electricity.
Connecting several solar panels, you will have a solar array. To form a solar panel system, you need to add an inverter, wires, cables, and other solar equipment.
Solar thermal panels heat the water in a cylinder using sunlight. This water is mostly utilized for domestic hot water needs. But it is also possible to use thermal panels for heating the home.
Solar thermal panels are similar to solar PV panels. However, when closely looking, you will notice that solar thermal panels have pipes that heat the water instead of solar cells. Solar thermal panels are, in most cases, mounted on the roof.
The efficiency of modern solar panels can reach up to 40%. And with the development of solar industry technologies, the tendency of efficiency is rising every year.
Solar Panels Do Not Need Direct Sunlight To Work
Solar panels do not need direct sunlight to produce energy. Although to function at its maximum efficiency, the sun is needed. However, solar panels still produce electricity during the winter season or on cloudy days. Moreover, solar panels can overheat in too not weather. So, they are more productive at cooler temperatures.
Why Everyone’s Buying Solar Batteries?
Today, the United States is the third-highest solar consumer in the world. The solar energy usage popularity is increasing day by day. Hence, a battery storage system will support you to meet the energy demand of the population.
Solar batteries are another vital part of solar panel systems. Generally, a homeowner consumes more energy in the evenings when there is no sun, and the cost of the electricity from the grid is higher. A solar panel battery will store the electricity generated by the sun. You can use this energy to power your home in the evenings when the sun is not shining or when the weather is cloudy.
Solar panel batteries will forbye make you partially or fully energy independent from the utility grid system. You only need to produce electricity during the daytime, store the excess of it with the energy storage system and do not rely on grid energy at night.
Besides, the solar panels’ energy will help reduce your carbon footprint as it is renewable and green. Furthermore, the solar industry is growing fast, and, thereby, solar panels’ prices are going down.
Every Home Needs A Solar Battery
The solar energy storage system is essential for places with power utility grid problems. There are also areas where power outages frequently occur. A battery for the solar panel system will store the solar panels’ energy for later use. In the event of a power failure, you will have access to your backup power through the solar panel battery bank.
For that reason, solar panel installation can solve most of the problems with energy. But the main hitch solar batteries solve is the fact that solar power is not constant.
With an on-grid or grid-tied system, you will be connected to the power grid. In this case, you will be able to buy electricity from the grid if needed. The off-grid system usage will make you completely independent of the power grid. You can produce free electricity with solar panels during the day when it is more expensive and use it at night.
A Brief History Of Solar Batteries
Batteries are the earliest way of generating electricity. In 1836, John Daniell discovered he could generate electricity from a copper pot filled with a copper sulfate solution.
The battery technology has changed over the years. Today, lithium-ion batteries are the most efficient batteries in the world. Although the first lithium-ion batteries were introduced in the 1970s, they became popular only in the 1990s. The lithium-ion batteries have a high lifecycle. They are light and need no maintenance or replacement. Before the lithium-ion batteries, the lead-acid battery system was considered to be the most efficient battery system. It was super heavy and not convenient for usage or transportation.
The lithium-ion batteries are also more eco-friendly. They are cleaner, recyclable, and need less maintenance. Besides, the solar panel companies offer today a long-term warranty for their battery products. So, installing a solar panel system with a battery storage system is a worthwhile investment for both your house or office. Going solar is a big step on your path to sustainability and reduced utility bills.
Author of a publication: Irene Abgaryan
