Are you interested in creating renewable energy for your home? Solar panels are a great eco-friendly electricity source for your property, and they bring many benefits. In this article, we’ll go over how they work.
Photovoltaic Cells
Solar panels are photovoltaic cells that convert the sun’s energy into electricity. They are made up of a few layers, but the actual cells are most commonly made from silicon or semi-conducting materials.
As the material is semi conducting, when it is exposed to the photons of sunlight, it releases electrons. This is what creates an electrical field, with the current flowing into a conductive wire on the panels.
Converting Energy
The energy created here is direct current (DC) power that needs to be converted to alternating current (AC) power. This is energy that can flow in various directions, which is what most homes are powered by. The National Grid can only use AC input.
The electricity from the photovoltaic cells are sent through an inverter to change from DC to AC. Now the energy can either be sent to power your home, be stored, or sent back to the grid.
Batteries
With solar panels, there is the additional option to also have a battery installed. This is somewhere that you can store electricity for later use. Without one, you will need to switch back and forth between mains power when there isn’t any sunlight.
It is particularly useful to have a battery as it means you will be able to rely less and less on mains power. What’s more, if there were to be a mains power cut, you’ll be able to use the electricity stored in the battery!
Do Solar Panels Work In The Winter?
Contrary to popular belief, the cells can operate with even the smallest bit of sunlight on cloudy days. Although, they understandably won’t produce as much energy as a sunny day. Shorter days in the winter will also decrease their output, but this is why batteries are recommended.
Contact Us For Solar Panels
Our team can install these cells for your property. We use the best panels on the market that have great warranties. In addition to domestic buildings, we can even install solar PV on commercial and agricultural sites. Call us today to discuss your requirements.
