Solar Energy Panels Work

Photo voltaic cells use sunlight as a source of energy and generate direct current electricity.

Solar energy panels work.

When solar panels produce electricity it flows into the grid and the production is monitored and credited to a homeowner s account this is when your meter will roll backward. Arrays of a photovoltaic system supply solar electricity to electrical equipment. In fact the term photovoltaic literally means light and electric these cells are designed from materials capable of reacting with a photovoltaic effect simply put the sun ray excites the electrons in the photovoltaic cell. In 1839 french scientist edmond becquerel discovered that certain materials would give off sparks of electricity when struck with sunlight.

Video is sponsored by best energy power. When you go solar you effectively install a mini power plant on your roof to replace the power plant where your utility gets its electricity. Simply put a solar panel works by allowing photons or particles of light to knock electrons free from atoms generating a flow of electricity. Our sun is a natural nuclear reactor.

Every time photons hit the silicon they transfer energy to loose silicon electrons. It s an idea that has been around for well over a century. Solar cells are made of silicon. The term solar panel is used colloquially for a photo voltaic module.

Solar panels work by absorbing sunlight with photovoltaic cells generating direct current dc energy and then converting it to usable alternating current ac energy with the help of inverter technology. Solar photovoltaic pv panels are based on a high tech but remarkably simple technology that converts sunlight directly to electricity. The most common application of solar energy collection outside agriculture i. Solar panels actually comprise many smaller units.

Those cells do the daily work of converting the sun s photons into electricity. Animation created by signalfly www. It releases tiny packets of energy called photons which travel the 93 million miles from the sun to earth in about 8 5 minutes. A collection of pv modules is called a pv panel and a system of panels is an array.

Every array is made up of several solar panels and every solar panel is made up of several solar cells. A simple and easy to understand animation which explains how solar panels work. Solar energy works by capturing the sun s energy and turning it into electricity for your home or business. This is how excess electricity is stored and it is how a home that may not be 100 powered by solar panels maintains power.

Ac energy then flows through the home s electrical panel and is distributed accordingly.