Introduction To Solar Electric Panels

Solar electric panels are used to form systems that create electricity by capturing and channelling the sun’s energy then converting it into direct current. Most often, solar electrical panels are referred to as PV systems, which is the short form of photo-voltaic. The basic working element of such a system is the solar cell. A large number of interconnected cells are organized so as to create modules, which in their turn build up to the overall system or unit. Solar electrical panels can be used for outdoor lighting systems, home applications as well as for covering the energy needs of entire households. We discuss many of these in articles on our web site.

An often neglected advantage of solar electric panels is that they save you from the risk of blackouts. Such occurrences are pretty frequent in parts of the world more exposed to thunderstorms and issues of reliability. Solar electric panels send the captured energy to batteries where it is stored until required. Overcharging of the batteries is prevented by the presence of a controller that stops the process when the battery is full. If excess electricity is produced then home users can sell it to the electrical utility to which you are connected. Such a procedure is perfectly legal, being stipulated by law.

What is the extent of system built on solar electric panels? With present technology the smallest size covers fifty square feet whereas the largest is pretty much unlimited. For home use around four hundred square feet would be about the maximum. In order to fully understand the efficiency of the solar electric panels keep in mind the fact that the photo-voltaic cells generate 1kW per hour for every one hundred square feet. There is a limitation as to the extent of the number of solar electric panels that you can use on the house roof which is determined mainly by its size. Load bearing is not usually a factor because solar electric panels are usually lightweight.

The price of solar electric panels will depend on the size of the system. A two kilowatt system may cost in the region of $20,000. Fortunately there are some rebates and tax credits for people who want to go solar. This means that you can save up to 30% from your taxes if you install such solar electrical panels in the US. However particular rebates and incentives need to be checked out for the particular area in which you live so that you can take advantage of them for your project.

For more information see our beginner's guide to solar panels