Want to save on your energy bill? Install a solar energy system.
It’s no longer a question that solar energy is one of the cheapest energy systems out there. This is true for large solar farms and the individual homeowner who is installing a system.
But you don’t have to take our word for it. Learn how a solar energy system works so you can feel confident about installing it in your home.
How Does Solar Energy Work?
Light is energy. It travels to us 93 million miles away from the sun, which is essentially a nuclear reactor. All day, free energy from the sun hits the earth. If only we could capture it somehow.
Well, now we can. That’s exactly what happens when top solar companies install a solar energy system. They are building a system that can capture solar energy and convert it into the electricity your home needs.
If you were wondering how does solar energy work step by step, let’s start with solar panels.
Solar Panels
Also known as photovoltaic solar panels are those wide, shiny panels often placed in sunny fields or on roofs. They absorb the energy of the sun in silicon cells.
Inside the panel, the solar cells attach to conductors. As the light comes in contact with the cell, electrons from the light enter flow through the positive and negative cell ends into the conductor. This is electricity.
However, this is direct current and needs to convert to alternating currents before it is used in a typical home energy set up.
Inverters
The electricity generated by the solar panels feeds into an inverter, which turns it into alternating current. Alternating current means that the electrons move in two directions, something direct current cannot do. It better meets the voltage needs of modern appliances.
From here it can go to places: to your home or the grid.
Grid-Tied
When it goes to your home, it is simply traveling down the wiring in your walls, waiting for the next time you want to flip on the light. However, when it is sent back to the grid, it travels out to the utility poles on your street and is directed where needed in your energy company’s system.
Some municipalities have different rules about requiring grid-ties. Through net metering, only excess energy flows back to the grid.
You typically receive payment or credit in exchange for this energy generation. These credits can be directly applied to draw back from the grid on less sunny days.
Ready to Install a Solar Energy System?
Now that you know a little more about how a solar energy system works, it’s time to seriously consider lowering your energy bill and choosing a renewable energy source.
With just a few main components of panels, inverters, and general electrical wiring, solar energy systems are relatively simple apparatuses that can provide great benefits for your home and your wallet. Learn more about solar energy and decide if it’s right for you.
