Solar Panels

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The formula for sunshine-to-electricity conversion using solar panels, in its essence, is not a complicated one. Solar energy (sunlight) is collected by photovoltaic cells (photo meaning "light" and voltaic meaning “electricity”). These Photovoltaic (PV) cells are the fabric of your solar panel. When the sunlight hits the cells, electrons are set free, and this produces electricity. The power these electrons produce is Direct Current (DC). DC is not designed to work in the modern home, because the home is set up for AC (Alternating Current). This is where an inverter comes into play. An inverter transforms your collected DC into useable AC electricity. If you do not use all your electricity straight away, a battery can store the power for later use. Simple.

When you make the decision to “go solar” and install solar panels in your home, RV, boat or business, you have two different ways to implement your solar lifestyle. These are “off grid” and “grid-tied”. Put simply, being “off grid” means that you are not connected to an external utility provider. This could be because you choose to make your property 100% renewable or because you live in an area that the utility company does not provide for.

Buying a rural property that has no existing power can be considerably cheaper because there is no cost from the utility company to install power lines to the remote area. And with tax credits and rebates, living “off grid” has never been so plausible. But for many of us, living in remote areas is not an option. We need to be in the cities.

This is where living “grid-tied” comes into play. You can install a solar panel powered system and still be connected to an existing electricity supply. This has many advantages. The first being that the excess energy gained by your solar panel system can actually gain you credit with the utility company. The surplus supply of energy that you create does not go to waste if it is not used, unlike “off grid” systems.

Secondly, in the event of a power failure, grid-tied homes using solar panels will continue to function. While the rest of your street struggles with candles and torches, your solar power reserves will automatically start up, making power cuts a thing of the past. Sound like a good idea? Barack Obama thinks so too.

Barack Obama has pledged to focus on the issues of renewable energy and conservation. One such pledge is to ensure 25% of electricity comes form renewable sources by 2025.

The state of California is leading the way in the solar revolution. The California Solar Initiative program (CSI) has a total budget of $2.167 billion between 2007 and 2016 to spend on cash back incentives for residents installing solar panel powered systems. The goal of the CSI is to install a totally of 1,940 MW of renewable solar energy and a total of 200,000 solar hot water systems.

But the rest of the country should not feel uninspired to go solar. Current Federal law allows homeowners to claim a tax credit of up to 30% of the cost of installing a solar PV panel system. Making this renewable energy alternative more realistic for the average homeowner.

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