Solar power systems

How a solar power system works

More and more people from all over the world have started to realize the enormous benefits that a free solar energy can bring to their lives. Solar energy is available as long as the sun is in existence and we trap this energy from the sun using solar panels and inturn produce electricity that will be able to light up the entire house.

Basically, the amount of electricity that will be generated will depend on the number and wattage of the solar panels aw well as the amount of sunlight that falls on the solar panel. Nowadays, we find the state governments and the federal departments also providing tax rebates and incentives to homeowners who install solar power systems in their homes. If the solar power system installed in a house is producing more power than it actually requires, the excess solar power can be sold to the electricity company.

Nowadays, we find markets being flooded with solar power systems ranging from the basic model to the high end models that can be used to light up a medium sized office space or a huge mansion. The solar power system basically comprises of solar panels, a charging controller, battery pack and an inverter. These are the four primary components that are required to produce electricity using solar energy or power and can provide the common 120 volt AC power for daily use. The sunlight that is given out from the sun is collected by the solar cells that are placed together to form the solar panels. The sizes of the solar panels vary depending upon the amount of electricity that is needed to light up the home. A combination of the solar panels forms the solar array.

The solar panels then charges the battery that is connected to it and the charging regulator ensures that proper charging of the battery takes place as per the desired level. The DC voltage that is generated from the battery is then passed on to the inverter, wherein this DC voltage is converted into normal AC voltage. In some places, the voltage of 240 AC volts is needed and this is achieved by either adding a transformer or connecting two identical inverters in a serial connection method to produce the required 240 V AC power. The charger controller is provided to basically monitor the state of charge of the battery and it will ensure that current will be supplied to charge the battery whenever needed and that the battery is not over charged. The batteries used are designed in such a way that it can withstand the discharge and charge cycles for about thousand times.

An inverter is the most important device in the solar power system as it is the one that converts the DC power stored in the battery to the standard 120/240 V AC power that will run all the electrical appliances inside the home. These are the devises that are present in the solar power systems that will convert the renewable, cleaner and greener solar energy from the sun to electrical energy that will power the electrical appliances. Even though the procedure of the above conversion is simple, the cost that is involved in purchasing these devices and its installation is very much on the higher side. It will leave the homeowner to have some sleepless nights but with the tax rebates and incentives from the government and the fact that the homeowner is paying a lifetime electricity bill in advance, will prompt the homeowner to invest in the solar power systems.

A solar power system requires a large area of the roof wherein the solar panels have to be placed. Also the positioning of the solar panels must be in such a way that they receive the maximum sunlight during the day or must atleast receive about six hours of direct sunlight in order to provide the sufficient amount of electricity to run the appliances. Solar cells will work to its maximum when it comes in contact with direct sunlight. It is always best to hire a professional or an experienced person to install the solar power systems, even though there are a lot of do it yourself kits that are available in the market these days. The main reason that one has to hire a professional for installing the solar power system is the inclination of the roof seen in most homes as well as the wiring complications that may occur if not done properly.

The advantages of installing solar power systems are as follows:

Free electricity for the rest of the life is the most important advantage of installing solar power systems in homes. It will not be affected by the soaring oil and fuel prices as the energy that is needed to drive these systems is solar energy which is freely available.

Also using solar powered systems will not pollute the surroundings as solar energy is clean, sustainable and more importantly renewable which is not the case while using coal, oil and natural gas.

The electricity company in the U.S will pay the homeowner for the excess electricity he provides the electricity company. Also, there are no loud motors and gears used to produce electricity through solar power systems and hence it is totally noise free apart from being a non air polluting system.