Solar panels work by converting sunlight into electricity. The science behind this conversion is known as photovoltaic technology. Photovoltaic Cells or solar cells as they are more commonly referred to are the major components of any residential solar power system.

Photovoltaic (PV) produces electricity directly from the electrons that are freed when sunlight hits the surface of the PV cell and interacts with the semiconductor material in the PV cell. These cells are wired together to form a PV module, which is the smallest PV component sold commercially. The PV modules range in power from 10 watts to 300 watts.

The raw material for the solar panel is silica (sand). The manufacturing process removes all of the impurities and defects, and results in a solar-grade silica feed stock. From there the silica is coated with Boron or Phosphorus to tweak the frequencies of light silica responds to.

When sunlight hits the solar cell with enough energy the photons in the light knock electrons free in the silicon crystalline structure forcing them through an external circuit or Direct DC Load and then returning them to the other side of the Solar Panel to start the process all over again (thus the renewal source).

The flow of freed electrons results in a voltage output of approximately 0.5v per single crystalline solar cell. The Amperage output is directly proportional to the cells surface area – about 7amps for a 6 inch square solar cell. Typically you will see 30 to 36 cells wired in series or in parallel with other solar modules to from a complete solar array to charge your battery bank, within your solar power system.

The PV module produces direct current (DC) but your home uses alternating current (AC). Therefore, solar panels require that we include a converter in the system to convert the DC current to AC current. This is accomplished with an inverter, a special piece of equipment that converts or changes DC electricity to AC.
Once the solar array (the collection of solar panels wired together in your solar power system) starts producing electricity you can use the electrical power, store it for later use or sell it back to your local utility if your system is connected to the grid. Selling back to the utility is referred to net-metering.

As more and more homes convert to solar power we can expect to see major improvements in the efficiency of solar cells just as we experienced improvements in gas mileage in cars with carburetors, fuel injection, etc.

In order to store the unused electricity for later use, you will need to incorporate batteries into the solar power system. These batteries serve the same purpose as the batteries in a car. Every time you start your car, the ignition is utilizing the stored electrical power in the battery to turn over the starter motor. Have you ever tried to start your car and nothing happens? If the starter is working properly, you know that the battery is dead and there is no electrical current available to power the starter which in turn starts the motor.

Solar batteries store the excess PV electricity until it is needed at a later time to run your appliance or the lights, etc. Once the batteries are fully charged you need to turn off any incoming power or they will be damaged. The solar batteries are DC just as the battery in your car. This means the batteries will be installed in your solar system between the Photovoltaic Cells and the inverter.

Note: You will be better off purchasing the best deep cycle batteries you can afford. Industrial deep cycle batteries can cost $200 each, but have a life expectancy of 5-8 years. Your car battery will only last 1 year in deep cycle applications.

It is worth noting that even though lead acid batteries are not environmentally friendly; the alternative of relying on fossil fuels is a poorer choice.

Jumping in your RV and leaving the rat race for the weekend is an American tradition. Did you know you can provide power to your RV with the sun while getting away from it all?

The Sun is Everywhere!

One of the biggest misconceptions regarding solar power is that it is limited to large panel systems on roofs. Au contraire! With new nanotechnology, solar power systems will soon be applied with the paint you use to improve your home. That’s still two or three years away, so what about now?

If you enjoy taking the RV out for an excursion, you can use solar power to provide your electrical needs. Whether you are going camping or to a NASCAR race, it is an exceedingly simple process.

Unlike homes, RVs run on direct current electricity. This makes them perfect for solar electricity since solar systems produce direct current electricity instead of alternating current. Put another way, there is no need for bulky converters to flip the electricity from direct to alternating. Instead, you can use the sun to power up your batteries directly.

Portable solar systems consist of pop-up solar modules with four or five panels. Essentially, they look like small ladders with solar panels instead of steps. You just pop them up on the roof of the RV or in an area where the sun hits them. The systems tie directly into your batteries and power them up during the day. Super easy and super clean.

The real advantage to solar RV systems has to do with noise. The traditional method for recharging your RV batteries is to turn on a generator and generators can be very loud. Even the quietest generator makes enough noise to make you feel like you live next to a construction site. Solar systems make no noise at all. There are no moving parts, just the sun beating down on the panels. You’ll never know they are even there.

If RVing is your thing, portable solar modules are worth taking a look at. With high fuel prices, you need to save a buck wherever you can.

As solar power has matured as a technology, companies have started applying it to more than just houses. Acting as an energy platform for our transport was an obvious application.

Solar: Will It Ever Power Our Vehicles

As an active technology, one of the first uses for solar power was on NASA spacecraft. Although not used for propelling the crafts, interested parties immediately started thinking about using solar power for getting us around in our daily lives. Alas, there were so many problems with the technology, including efficiency issues, that the idea never really gained much footing. With the massive popularity of hybrid vehicles, companies and research institutes are revisiting the idea.

Vehicles getting all of their energy from the sun are not a viable option at this time or for the near future. The problem is you simply can’t produce enough energy to meet the power needs. Until technology is developed to make the sunlight conversion process much more efficient, there really is not an answer to the problem. This technological advance, however, may not be far away.

Quantum dots are a form of nanotechnology that is being developed by numerous companies for solar power applications. This technology essentially tries to create tiny solar robots to convert the sunlight to energy. Millions fit within small areas and the hope is the efficiency conversion rate will go through the roof. The companies are looking to create a platform where the robots would exist in paint. Yep, the paint on your home and car may eventually produce all the energy needed.

In the meantime, solar power applications are being developed with a focus on hybrids. The basic idea is to use solar power to provide energy to the batteries powering the hybrid cars. Put another way, it is a step towards the ultimate goal. Honda does not discuss its research, but is believed to have built a facility solely for this purpose and is dumping money into it hand over foot.

The creation of viable solar vehicles is dependent on the advances of the underlying technology. Solar hybrids should be on the market relatively quickly. The big breakthrough, however, will be when viable commercial applications are developed using nanotechnology.

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First off, the planet does not need saving, but we need to save ourselves. The Earth has been here a lot longer. Yes, we are doing damage, but the result could be the Earth wiping us out, and not the other way around. The question still comes can we do our bit, and use home solar energy systems to create more balance?

It may be bold statements, however, the fact remains, and the Earth has been here a lot longer than us. It has gone through having reptiles as big as houses, and has also had an impact which made our Moon, and also an impact which killed off the dinosaurs. Through all these the life on Earth changed, but the Earth remained.

So, what is the issue, and what has home solar energy systems got to do with this equation. Now, with all these statements, they are my own beliefs and do not necessarily mean how it is. The issue more important is the damage we are doing to life on Earth.

In the UK around the 1950’s, was smoggy. This smog was difficult for people. Life continued, but there had to be changes. We just could not pump out all our rubbish into the air; we had to change to make things cleaner, and more conscious of the effects of our causes.

Power around the world, and I mean energy, as in electricity, is generated mainly by fossil fuels. We use it in the car, and is what is behind what happens when you have lighting in your home. This fossil fuel is powering your monitor right now! The smoke that was produced to make that fuel can not be seen and is effecting the natural balance in the world.

If you consider blowing smoke into a cup, and turning it over on the table, you will find that the smoke remains. The world is such a place. Everything is contained within, so unless it gets into the ground or sea, it will be in the air. Trees are what keep a lot of the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

Home solar power systems are a solution to our problems. With home solar energy systems, you can cut out a lot of your footprint. Every year your household is part of the cause of that problem. The only way we can break out of that cycle, and learn as was done in the UK, one by one, we will provide a more balanced environment.

Getting residential solar energy systems for the home is possible only in relatively sunny countries. So, getting home solar power systems for your home is unlikely in the UK or other countries that don’t get the full strength of the Sun.

Residential solar energy systems don’t just have to be in the form of generating electricity for your home. In the East there are many countries that utilize the power of the Sun to heat up water. On top of houses, you will find the heating system that has water pumping through, getting the full amplified heat of the Sun. The result is that you have hot boiling water, almost for free, when you exclude the buying the solar water heating system.

You can make a difference. The benefits are immense, and there is much power in generating your own power to power your home. You get constant power for free, there are no brownouts and you can also resell your excess electric to the electricity companies!