Solar Energy: How it Works
Solar energy is a quickly growing interest for many homeowners and businesses in the United States. Today, sustainable energy is a very important topic in sociopolitical conversations because of the important role it is beginning to play for the energy industry and the energy conversion that many hope to see happen in the coming years. However, many people don’t seem to understand how a solar photovoltaic (PV) energy system works and how that system can not only help the environment and the planet as a whole, but also how that system can save money.
Sunlight
The idea of solar energy is based off one of the most fundamental scientific processes in nature: photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is “the process by which a green plant turns water and carbon dioxide into food when the plant is exposed to light” (Merriam Webster Dictionary). In more detail, photosynthesis is the creation of chemical compounds from carbon and a source of hydrogen (water) using the energy received from sunlight by leaves. This energy comes from light particles called photons which are a quantum of electromagnetic radiation. Solar energy is very similar to this process of photosynthesis because solar panels are made of solar cells (similar to the cells in a plant’s leaves) and those cells are used to generate energy. A solar panel is a bi-layer system of oppositely charged semi-conductor material, similar to silicone. When photons from sunlight reach the solar cells within a solar panel, they release electrons from the silicone layers of the solar cells. Those electrons then travel in between the layers to create an electrical circuit. This is also known as the photovoltaic effect. Unfortunately, this only creates a direct current (DC) of electricity, which is not useful to most people.
Solar Energy Inverter
To power someone’s television, charge phones, turn on a lamp, etc., the Solar Energy Inverter must convert the DC energy current into an alternating current (AC) of electricity. The information regarding the rate at which a system is creating energy can be found on a front panel monitor. This information is also generated in real time. However, what if your Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Energy System is creating more energy than you’re using?
Excess Energy – Back to the Grid
The Solar Energy Inverter installed with the Solar PV Energy System can measure the amount of energy that the system is producing in comparison to the amount of energy a home is using. The meter is also connected to the utility grid that everyone is connected to and keeps track of the amount of energy flowing to and from the utility grid. Whenever a solar energy system produces more energy than a home consumes, that energy is then sent to the energy grid so that it can be consumed by other energy consumers. What does this mean exactly? It means that whenever the solar energy system of a homeowner provides electricity to the utility grid, that homeowner is paid through a process called net metering. The policies regarding net metering fluctuates from one state to another, but most utility companies are required to pay solar customers for the rate of energy provided by the homeowner’s solar energy systems.
In conclusion, solar energy is not only a sustainable and clean form of energy, but it is also beneficial to homeowners by reducing utility bills and by even allowing some homeowners to be paid for having a system installed. In reality, the price a homeowner pays to have a system installed will be regained by savings on utility bills and through compensation for excess energy. Now that the basics of solar energy have been explained, you’re ready to contact a specialist to discuss Solar PV Energy Systems and to potentially have one installed.
