How Solar Panels Work

Lately you've probably been hearing a lot of clamor about solar panels and how they can drastically reduce your electric bill and provide renewable energy for your house. Like many other programs, the government is also offering renewable energy rebates and renewable energy incentives to many households who choose to use solar panels as a source of renewable energy. However, few people actually know how solar panels work and if they will really cut down on the cost of electricity as much as they're hyped up to.

In general, a solar panel takes energy from the sun and converts it into useable energy for appliances, otherwise known as electricity. Here we'll unravel a bit of the mystery to how solar panels really work.

According to HowStuffWorks.com, a solar panel is made up of solar cells, which are comprised of photovoltaic modules. If you break down the work "Photovoltaic," you get "photo," which is light, and "voltaic," which is electricity. Marry these two and you have electricity via the universe's biggest light source, the sun. Photovoltaic modules or cells are usually shortened to "PV cells" in conversation.

These cells are made from silicon semiconductors that take the wattage from the sun and forcibly break it into useable energy and essentially creating a current of electricity. This current is what we can use to power an appliance.

You're probably familiar with solar calculators, which work the same way. The four-square bar on your calculator contains these same semiconductors that turn light (even artificial light, since it's wattage in some form) into a current of electricity that powers the calculator. In the end, the only way to turn the calculator "off" is to put it somewhere dark for a long period of time.

So how does this all translate into useable electricity for your home? Well, the bigger the solar panel section you have, the more electric currents that can be produced. These all flow into an inverter or a battery bank, where the energy is stored until it's needed. Thus, it's not just solar panels you need to power something, you need a battery bank as well.

How will you know if your house is suitable for a solar panel system? Well, if you live in a very rainy area, or one that is shaded by trees or other homes, you're probably not a good candidate. Solar panels need access to direct sunlight to maximize their effectiveness, and without access to lots of sunlight every day, you won't see much of a decrease in your electric bill. However, if you live somewhere sunny, such as California, Nevada, Arizona, etc., chances are your home is a good candidate for solar panels.

Sources:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/solar-cell.htm
http://www.gepower.com/prod_serv/products/solar/en/how_solar_work.htm