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When sunlight strikes a solar cell, electrons are knocked loose. They move toward the treated front surface. An electron imbalance is created between the front and the back. When a connector, like a wire, joins the two surfaces a current of electricity occurs between the negative and positive sides. These individual solar cells can be arranged together in a PV module and modules can be grouped together in an array. Some arrays are set on special tracking devices to follow sunlight all day long.

Photovoltaic cells, like batteries, generate direct current (DC), which is generally used for specific DC lighting and DC appliances. An inverter is required to convert the DC to alternating current (AC) which is what most household appliances require. Photovoltaic cells are highly reliable and easy to maintain. PV cells have no moving parts, so visual checks and servicing are enough to keep systems up and running. Solar panels are built to withstand hail impact, high wind, and freeze-thaw cycles. PV systems can produce power in all types of weather. On partly cloudy days, they produce as much as 80% of their potential energy. Even on extremely cloudy days, they can still produce about 25% of their maximum output.

Consider where your home is located and how much electricity you currently use. Proper solar panel installation requires a southern orientation that receives direct sunlight from 9am to 3pm daily. The average North American household uses 600 Kilowatt-hours of electricity per month. An energy efficient home may use only half that much. In a sunny climate, a 2-kilowatt PV system can produce 300 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month. (To produce 2 kilowatts of power you need about 240 square feet of solar panels.) So, your first move in developing a solar system is to reduce electricity consumption. It is always more cost-effective to invest in energy efficiency than to install a larger PV system.

 

Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, Southface Energy Institute