Solar Power Panel

A solar energy panel is composed of a number of solar cells. The more cells a panel holds the more electricity it is able to harvest and convert.

Solar energy is a major contender in the effort to free us from our lethal addiction to non renewable energy sources.

One of the premier forms of renewable energy begins with a simple panel. Electricity is produced by a photovoltaic panel which is composed from a number of solar power cells.

It turns out that size does indeed matter, at least when it comes to a solar power panel. The rooftop or land area that is required to adequately power a home with solar energy is determined by the amount of energy that each solar cell is able to generate.

Researchers are constantly producing more efficient cells. The more efficient the cell the less room that's required to produce a given amount of energy.

There are actually two completely different ways of collecting solar energy.

The simplest and least expensive type of solar power panel captures the heat (thermal rays) from the sun and transfers it to a desired space or heats water or other fluid.

These are called flat plate collectors and they do not produce electricity but rather transfer the heat (thermal rays) from the sun to air or fluid that is contained within coils inside the panels. Much simpler, less expensive and lower tech, a flat plate collector is the best choice for heating water and less expensive than photovoltaic panels.

This type of panel provides heat and only heat.

How is a photovoltaic solar power panel different from a flat plate collector?

A PV (photovoltaic) solar power panel captures sun light and converts it into electricity that can be used to power appliances and here's the big thing. Rather than being only able to heat a space or volume of fluid, PV panels can cool, freeze and air condition. No longer are we using the heat rays but rather light rays of the sun are converted into electricity.

Measured in the amount of watts a panel can convert per hour, a 100 watt solar power panel can produce 100 watts of electricity per hour under ideal conditions. These are average numbers and they vary throughout the life of the solar panel. Brand new panels often deliver around 10% more than expected and a 10 year old panel will often deliver 10% less.

You can reasonably expect a solar power panel to function for upwards of 30 years.(some householders are reporting solar panels that have been functioal for 40 years and still going)

A 100 watt light bulb burning continuously will use 100 watts of energy per hour.

In order to use this energy in your household it must be altered into the type of electricity that your household appliances recognize.

An inverter converts the solar energy from DC (the type stored in a battery and accessed through cigarette lighter type outlets) to AC current (the type that flows to your household outlets).

Making a better solar power panel

Most of the focus in the industry is in making a more efficient PV solar power panel. The more energy we can squeeze out of each solar cell the smaller the area required to collect an adequate amount of sunlight.

Currently researchers are focusing on producing more efficient panels. Using mirrors and other optics to magnify the sun's rays, Xerox's research looks very promising.

The truth is that until a small and very efficient solar power cell is produced solar power will not be practical in some areas. A roof is only so big and not all surfaces of a roof are canted in the ideal direction to capture sufficient amounts of energy.

How Do Solar Panels Work?

Solar panels are made of two layers, the p-layer and the n-layer. When the sun shines on a solar energy panel, it releases photon packets, which are bursts of energy called photovoltaic energy. Some of these bursts are captured by electrons on the n-layer of the panel, while others pass right through the panel or are reflected back to the sun. After electrons capture a photon packet, the electrons are able to travel to the p-layer. Through this constant stream of electron flow energy is produced.

Which is better, the flat plate or a PV solar power panel?

Depending on your needs and your budget, either of the above methods of using solar energy will reduce your consumption of fossil fuels, your monthly electricity bill and your household emissions. Ideally you'll use both. There's little point in heating your water with more expensive photovoltaic panels when the lower tech and much less expensive flat plate collector can do that job.

Advantages and Disadvantages of PV Solar Panels

When considering a solar power system for your home or vacation home one size does not fit all. There are many variables that need consideration including your geographical area, the amount of electricity your household requires, the orientation of your home and roof and the amount of sunlight that stirkes your location.

In areas where skies are often overcast or the winters are very cold, you may need to tap into a local power grid and use traditional electricity on days when the panels are unable to process enough energy for your needs.

Consider also the addition of wood burning stoves or energy efficient heaters in cold climates to supplement the energy that your system produces.

We use both Siemens and Kyocera panels and are happy with both of them. The newer the panels the higher the output. Also, newer panels maintain a higher efficiency even when partially shaded as opposed to older panels which have a dramatic drop in output when even a small portion of the panel is shaded.

In remote areas the investment into solar energy can be much more cost effective than bringing grid power to your home, particularly if you've taken steps to build an energy efficient home

In most cases there are huge advantages to yourself and the environment in using solar energy.

Cost, being the biggest disadvantage becomes less of an issue as research continues. Reducing the amount of energy your household demands before purchasing your solar power system will go a long way to keeping the cost of your system more reasonable.

Replacing even some of your household energy with solar reduces the amount of irreplaceable fossil fuels your family consumes and limits your contribution to the accumulation of greenhouse gases.