How Is Solar Energy Used In Your Home
When buying solar power systems, it is super important to understand how your solar energy is used in your home. i.e how much electricity you currently use and at what times throughout the day you use it.
This is because your energy usage habits will drastically affect:
- How much your electricity bill is reduced by every month and
- How big a solar system you should buy
- Your expected payback periods
The reason for this is that your usage habits will determine how much solar energy you export. Exported electricity is generally a lot less valuable to you than using it in your home. Expect to get paid 6-8c per kWh for exported electricity and pay out 25-35c per kWh to buy electricity from the grid.
To minimise your losses from this horribly unfair situation you need to size your system to minimise exports, if you want to get the best return on your investment.
This video I knocked together should help explain the link between how your energy is used and how much youll get paid for it:
Contrary to popular belief you cant just look at how much electricity you use every quarter and then size a solar system from that number. If a solar salesman tries that one run a mile. The solar sales person needs to have much deeper understanding of your usage than the size of your last bill. And so should you!
How Do Photovoltaic Solar Panels Generate Electricity
The energy of collected sunlight is transformed directly into electricity thanks to the photovoltaic effect. In short, this effect takes place when photons of light are absorbed by a specific material, which in turn releases electrons from atoms. Released electrons are then available to do the electrical work, such as powering a light bulb.
Although we cannot see the photovoltaic effect with our own eyes, we can look more closely at the solar panels where this process takes place.
A Short History Of Solar Panels
The development of solar energy goes back more than 100 years. In the early days, solar energy was used primarily for the production of steam which could then be used to drive machinery. But it wasn’t until the discovery of the “” by Edmond Becquerel that would allow the conversion of sunlight solar electric energy. Becquerel’s discovery then led to the invention in 1893 by Charles Fritts of the first genuine solar cell which was formed by coating sheets of selenium with a thin layer of gold. And from this humble beginning would arise the device we know today as the solar panel.
Russel Ohl, an American inventor on the payroll of Bell Laboratories, patented the world’s first silicon solar cell in 1941. Ohl’s invention led to the production of the first solar panel in 1954 by the same company. Solar panels found their first mainstream use in space satellites. For most people, the first solar panel in their life was probably embedded in their new calculator – circa the 1970s!
Today, solar panels and complete solar panel systems are used to power a wide variety of applications. Yes, solar panels in the form of solar cells are still being used in calculators. However, they are also being used to provide solar power to entire homes and commercial buildings, such as Google’s headquarters in California.
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How Does Solar Energy Work
Our sun is a natural nuclear reactor. It releases tiny packets of energy called photons, which travel 93 million miles from the sun to Earth in about 8.5 minutes. Every hour, enough photons impact our planet to generate enough solar energy to theoretically satisfy global energy needs for an entire year.
Currently, photovoltaic power accounts for only five-tenths of one percent of the energy consumed in the United States. But solar technology is improving and the cost of going solar is dropping rapidly, so our ability to harness the sun’s abundance of energy is on the rise.
In 2017, the International Energy Agency showed that solar had become the world’s fastest-growing source of power marking the first time that solar energy’s growth had surpassed that of all other fuels. Since then solar has continued to grow and break records around the globe.
Take Advantage Of The Solar Power Benefits
People often ask themselves ‘Why is solar energy good?‘ and, as a result, fail to realise the importance of solar technology. Solar power has evidently become the trend in renewable energy. Homeowners around the UK installed solar panels on their roof, managing accordingly to reap all the solar energy advantages.
Apart from the obvious financial benefits, there are other pertinent reasons why you should convert to using solar power instead of fossil fuels.
What other reasons should you consider when going solar? Here are seven compelling reasons.
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Solar Power Improves Grid Security
When there are many of us switching to solar power, we are less likely to experience blackouts or brownouts. Every household in the UK that have solar cells installed, functions as a small power plant. This, in turn, provides us with a greater electricity grid security, especially in terms of natural or human-caused disasters.
With the help of solar panel grants, you can also be paid to export electricity back to the grid.
How Will Solar Energy Benefit Society In The Future
Solar energy creates clean, renewable energy from the sun and benefits the environment. Alternatives to fossil fuels reduce the CO2 footprint at home and abroad, reducing greenhouse gases across the globe. Solar energy is known to have a beneficial effect on the environment.
How will solar energy affect the future?
In the coming years, technological improvements will ensure that solar energy becomes even cheaper. It may well be that by 2030, solar energy has become the most important energy source for electricity production in a large part of the world. This will also have a positive impact on the environment and climate change.
What are the possible benefits of solar energy that will benefit us and future generations?
Renewable energy outweighs the costs of climate change. An increasingly warming planet has devastating costs for both our economy and our well-being. If we reduce our CO2 footprint and reduce air pollution, solar energy could save $ 259 billion in climate change and save more than 25,000 lives.
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Learn About Different Uses Of Solar Energy Along Side With Common Technologies Used In It
In todays world, Uses of solar energy are on the rise but as of now, fossil fuels are used as a major resource for producing energy. Advanced and modern society is highly dependent on energy that is generated by burning fossil fuels like coal and petroleum.
From cooking food to driving a vehicle humans need an immense amount of energy. We are living in a world where all the devices and appliances we use, need a constant amount of power to keep functioning. This demand cannot be fulfilled through fossil fuels only, because they are limited. The burning of coal and petroleum products for generating energy is harmful to the earth as it leads to the emission of carbon.
Fossil fuels are the natural resources of the earth and are available in a limited amount. The day by day increasing demand for these non-renewable resources is causing harm to the earth and its environment. Global warming, greenhouse effect, and pollution are the adverse effects of the burning of fossil fuels. This can only be reduced by using a clean source of energy.
We are fortunate that we have Sun which is the only and the biggest source of energy on earth. It has an abundant amount of energy that can be used instead of energy produced by limited sources of energy. Sun is the most reliable alternative source of energy. The use of solar energy will help in reducing the need for burning fossil fuel.
How Is Solar Energy Collected
The most common devices used to collect solar energy and convert it to thermal energy are flat-plate collectors. Another method of thermal energy conversion is found in solar ponds, which are bodies of salt water designed to collect and store solar energy. Solar radiation may also be converted directly into electricity by solar cells, or photovoltaic cells, or harnessed to cook food in specially designed solar ovens, which typically concentrate sunlight from over a wide area to a central point.
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Advantages Of Solar Energy
1. Renewable Energy Source
Among all the benefits of solar panels, the most important thing is that solar energy is a truly renewable energy source. It can be harnessed in all areas of the world and is available every day. We cannot run out of solar energy, unlike some of the other sources of energy.
Solar energy will be accessible as long as we have the sun, therefore sunlight will be available to us for at least 5 billion years when according to scientists the sun is going to die.
2. Reduces Electricity Bills
Since you will be meeting some of your energy needs with the electricity your solar system has generated, your energy bills will drop. How much you save on your bill will be dependent on the size of the solar system and your electricity or heat usage.
For example, if you are a business using commercial solar panels this switch can have huge benefits because the large system size can cover large chunks of your energy bills.
Moreover, not only will you be saving on the electricity bill, but there is also a possibility to receive payments for the surplus energy that you export back to the grid through the Smart Export Guarantee . If you generate more electricity than you use .
3. Diverse Applications
Solar energy can be used for diverse purposes. You can generate electricity or heat . Solar energy can be used to produce electricity in areas without access to the energy grid, to distil water in regions with limited clean water supplies and to power satellites in space.
What Does A Solar Inverter Do
A solar inverter takes the DC electricity from the solar array and uses that to create AC electricity. Inverters are like the brains of the system. Along with inverting DC to AC power, they also provide ground fault protection and system stats, including voltage and current on AC and DC circuits, energy production, and maximum power point tracking.
Central inverters have dominated the solar industry since the beginning. The introduction of micro-inverters is one of the biggest technology shifts in the PV industry. Micro-inverters optimize for each individual solar panel, not for an entire solar system, as central inverters do.
This enables every solar panel to perform at maximum potential. When a central inverter is used, having a problem with one solar panel can drag down the performance of the entire solar array. Micro-inverters, such as the ones in SunPower’s Equinox home solar system, make this a non-issue. If one solar panel has an issue, the rest of the solar array still performs efficiently.
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What Is The Right Price For A Solar Panel Installation
The SolarReviews Editorial team believes a fair price for a professionally-installed solar system in 2022 is between $2.60 per watt and $3.20 per watt.
If you are being charged more than that, there are probably better offers available. However, if you are paying less than $2.60 per watt, you may run the risk of getting a low-quality installation or sub-par customer service. Not only that, solar companies that charge such low prices probably wont be able to earn enough money off of their sales to offer you the customer support you need for the 25-year lifespan of your solar panels.
Above all, you want to go with a solar company that has a good reputation and will be around for the long haul.
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What Are Solar Panels Made Of
The main component of any solar panel is a solar cell. Specifically, a number of solar cells are used to build a single solar panel. These cells are the part of the device that convert the sunlight into electricity. Most solar panels are made from crystalline silicon type solar cells. These cells are composed of layers of silicon, phosphorous, and boron . These cells, once produced, are laid out into a grid pattern. The number of these cells used depends largely on the size of the panel being created, as many different sizing options exist.
Once the cells are laid out, the panel itself is sealed to protect the cells within and covered with a non-reflective glass. This glass protects the solar cells from damage, and is non-reflective to ensure sunlight can still reach the cells. Once sealed, this panel is placed into a rigid metallic frame. This frame is designed to prevent deformation, and includes a drainage hole to prevent water from building up on the panel as a buildup of water could reduce the efficiency of the panel. Additionally, the back of the panel is also sealed to prevent damage.
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Portable Solar: Using Solar On The Go
You are probably familiar with the idea of using solar to power your home and other large equipment like lighting. Solar is also an extremely useful way to power the smaller devices you use in your home including your phone or watch. There are smaller solar cells that can be used to power these devices.
The Benefits Of Solar Panels
Using solar panels is a very practical way to produce electricity for many applications. The obvious would have to be off-grid living. Living off-grid means living in a location that is not serviced by the main electric utility grid. Remote homes and cabins benefit nicely from solar power systems. No longer is it necessary to pay huge fees for the installation of electric utility poles and cabling from the nearest main grid access point. A solar electric system is potentially less expensive and can provide power for upwards of three decades if properly maintained.
Besides the fact that solar panels make it possible to live off-grid, perhaps the greatest benefit that you would enjoy from the use of solar power is that it is both a clean and a renewable source of energy. With the advent of global climate change, it has become more important that we do whatever we can to reduce the pressure on our atmosphere from the emission of greenhouse gases. Solar panels have no moving parts and require little maintenance. They are ruggedly built and last for decades when porperly maintained.
There are many other applications and benefits of using solar panels to generate your electricity needs – too many to list here. But as you browse our website, you’ll gain a good general knowledge of just how versatile and convenient solar power can be.
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Is Solar Energy Cheaper Than Electricity
Although solar energy initially costs to buy and install, people find that solar energy is much cheaper than electricity in the long run due to the rising price of electricity. See the article : Is solar worth going?.
What is the cheapest form of energy?
And there is some very good news for the planet: Solar and wind power, to the extent that a major utility would use them, is now the cheapest form of electricity. They are slightly cheaper than natural gas-fired power plants and significantly cheaper than coal and nuclear power.
Is solar energy cheaper than normal electricity?
When it comes to the cost of energy from new power plants, wind and solar energy on land are now the cheapest sources costing less than gas, geothermal energy, coal or nuclear power. Solar in particular has become cheaper at a tremendous pace. Just 10 years ago, it was the most expensive opportunity to build a new energy development.
What Types Of Material Are Used In Solar Panels
The most common residential solar panels contain monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar cells.
Both types of cells produce electricity when exposed to sunlight, however there are some key differences between the two:
| Monocrystalline solar cells | |
| Tend to appear darker in color, often black or dark grey | Often appear a dark blue when exposed to light |
| Performs better in high temperatures and shady conditions | Less efficient at higher temperatures |
| Tend to be more expensive | Tend to be less expensive |
If space is limited on your roof or project site, a higher-efficiency, monocrystalline panel may be preferred, and could result in a better return on investment. Alternatively, a lower-cost, slightly less efficient, polycrystalline panel may do the job just as well if you have ample roof space on your home.
Many panel manufacturers also build panels containing both mono and polycrystalline wafers to form solar cells, capable of harvesting energy from a wider spectrum of light.
Be sure to ask what type of cell your home solar system design contains, This distinction may affect the aesthetics and economics of your project.
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What Are The Common Uses Of Solar Energy
Solar energy is commonly used for solar water heaters and house heating. The heat from solar ponds enables the production of chemicals, food, textiles, warm greenhouses, swimming pools, and livestock buildings. Cooking and providing a power source for electronic devices can also be achieved by using solar energy.
