HOW DOES A SOLAR PANEL WORK?
Sustainable energy is a buzz word that has been around for a while, but with the combination of growing technology and increased environmental awareness, it is now more relevant than ever. Harnessing the power of the sun through solar energy has become a very popular method of powering up our households and businesses. Whether it is to help make a difference in our environments or our pockets, solar power is here to stay. It is only natural to wonder how solar power works.
SOLAR POWER TERMS
To know how solar panels work there are some words and terms to get familiar with:
The Grid is the electricity supplied nationally by Municipalities in South Africa and by various utility companies elsewhere.
Kilowatt (kW) is a unit of power. 1,000 watt (W) equals 1 kilowatt (kW)
Kilowatt hour (kWh) is a unit of energy. It is the number of kWs used per hour – stated in other words, it is the amount of energy used to keep a 1,000 W appliance running for an hour. For example, a 100 W light bulb would use 1 kWh in 10 hours; a 2,000 W appliance would use 1 kWh in half an hour; a 50 W item would use 1 kWh in 20 hours.
Renewable energy comes from sources that cannot run out (such as the sun) or can be easily replaced (such as new vegetation being planted). Renewable energy is carbon neutral and does not produce carbon compounds and greenhouse gases when consumed. Renewable energy does not pollute the environment: it causes no air, land or water pollution.
A grid-interactive PV system is still connected to the national grid, although it draws clean energy from solar panels. This system can feed clean energy directly into the grid, lowering your dependence on the grid and decreasing your electricity bill. It also charges solar batteries for use during power failures.
Deep-cycle batteries store energy from the sun for use when the sun is not shining. They are called “deep cycle” because they can survive long periods of being repeatedly and deeply discharged to almost their entire capacity.
Photovoltaics (PV) is the conversion of light into electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect, a phenomenon studied in physics, photochemistry, and electrochemistry. The photovoltaic effect is commercially utilized for electricity generation and as photo sensors.
Semiconductors are materials which have a conductivity between conductors (generally metals) and nonconductors or insulators (such as most ceramics). Semiconductors can be pure elements, such as silicon or germanium, or compounds such as gallium arsenide or cadmium selenide.
Direct current (DC) is one-directional flow of electric charge. An electrochemical cell is a prime example of DC power.
Alternating current (AC) is an electric current which periodically reverses direction and changes its magnitude continuously with time in contrast to direct current (DC) which flows only in one direction.
SOLAR POWER EXPLAINED
Sunlight is converted into electricity through the photovoltaic (PV) effect. These solar cells are struck by sunlight on the semiconductor material, electrons are released and an electric current is generated. Several solar cells are connected to form a PV or solar panel. The more solar panels are connected, the higher the electricity output. Direct current (DC) electricity is produced by solar panels, rather than alternating current (AC) electricity. An inverter needs to be connected to these solar panels in order to change the current from DC to AC electricity which renders it useable on the grid. Solar panels are responsible for clean energy and can be used to replace or augment the national grid power or even generators. The diagram below explains how the UV light from the sun are converted into energy to create electricity to power up household appliances:
Source: https://investsolar.co.za/how-do-solar-panels-work/
BENEFITS OF GOING SOLAR:
- Saves cost on electricity received from the grid.
- Contributes to a healthier, more sustainable environment.
- Not being dependent on the national grid, means that you do not experience power outages like your ‘on the grid’ neighbours.
- Increases the value of a property.
DOWNSIDE OF GOING SOLAR:
The high initial cost of setting up a solar panel is a deal breaker for most household owners. And this is exactly where SunHire comes in to save the day! With SunHire’s asset finance program you can rent to own your own unit.
Follow the link to see HOW IT WORKS and how you can harness the power of the sun without breaking the bank.
