How Does Solar Energy Work?
When most people ask the question: How does
solar energy work?, they are really asking: How does solar
power work? Solar energy is actually the energy contained in
sunlight, while solar power is what you have when that
energy is harnessed: electricity.
One of the most common ways to harness solar
energy is through the generating of electricity. This is
primarily done in two ways. One method is to use the heat of
the sun to create steam and turn a turbine to generate
electricity. The other way is through photovoltaics. We will
focus on the use of photovoltaics for this article.
What are photovoltaics?
Photovoltaics are amazing solar cells, such as
you see on a calculator. They have the ability to turn
sunlight into electricity. Originally, photovoltaics were
developed for the space program to supply electrical power
for satellites. Photovoltaics answer the question of "how
does solar energy work."
As with many other common items, new uses for the solar
cells were discovered, and today we can use this space
technology to generate electricity right in our own backyard!
The solar panels that you often see on rooftops may contain
photovoltaics just for the purpose of creating solar power.
How does solar energy
work in my house?
There are several basic factors required to use
solar power at home. First you need to determine if you have
a clear, unobstructed exposure to the sun. In the Northern
Hemisphere this is obviously the south. There must be no
shade that can cover the solar panels, because even partial
shading dramatically reduces the efficiency of the entire
system.
You also must decide how large of a system you
need for your home. This is done by learning just how much
sunlight you can expect in the course of a year. This
information is easily obtained as meteorlogical data. This
data tells you many sunny days, cloudy days, partially sunny
days, etc. there are in a year.
This information, together with your average
electrical usage, will determine how large of a solar power
system you need. It is important to consider the worst
weather conditions, and the most electrical consumption you
might need, so you do not run out of power.
What about storing solar
energy?
Of course, you don't want to have electricity
only on sunny days or during the daylight hours. So, you
must find a way to store the power for cloudy days and the
nighttime.
One way is to be connected to the electrical
grid, that is, the utility company. This way you can use
their power as needed and sell your excess back to them.
When you sell it back you naturally sell it at a discount,
so they can resell it later on. Also, the utility company
must agree to this, and there are certain safety issues that
must be managed. Many people successfully operate in this
way and pay very little for their power.
The other common way to store solar power is by
using batteries. This requires some planning, an investment,
and space to store them. They also require some maintenance,
though it is minimal. The batteries generally do not last
more than a few years, and must be replaced
periodically.
Batteries must be treated with respect, as they
can be hazardous. The acids can potentially leak, and they
should be stored in a ventilated room.
How to convert AC-DC
Power
This is not about an Australian rock band, but
about the type of electricity generated by your solar
panels. The power you generate is DC, or direct current. The
power used by the utility company is AC, or alternating
current.
So, if you intend to sell power back to the
utility company, you need to convert this electricity from
DC to AC. This is easily accomplished by using an inverter.
The inverter can be a stand alone device, wired into the
system, or it can actually be built right into the solar
panels.
How does solar energy work? It is a combination
of collecting the energy in the solar panels, converting it
to electricity through photovoltaics, making it available
for you use, and storing it for later use. There are many
benefits of solar
energy, and The Earth4Energy program is our best
pick for doing it yourself.
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