How Does Solar Energy Work
Solar power isn’t brand new, but the industry is changing every day. Panels are becoming more sophisticated while their cost is dropping steadily.
These exciting advancements are making solar a more viable solution for individuals to reduce their carbon footprint. In this article, we’ll look a little bit at how solar panels work and what to think about if you’re considering installing them in your home or business.
Our homes and businesses need a lot of energy for light, heating, hot water, electronics, etc. Traditionally, some of the energy for these needs was provided by gas while in other cases by electricity.
Today, environmental activists are pushing for buildings to shift to electricity only, a move which is increasingly supported by many governments. This is because electricity is significantly more efficient than gas.
The thing is until recently even electricity comes from fossil fuels somewhere down the road… it’s just that being more efficient, there are still fewer greenhouse gasses (GHGs) emitted to produce the same amount of energy. To take fossil fuels out of the equation altogether, environmental engineers have been exploring a range of ways to produce electricity from other sources.
Wind turbines use wind-generated movement to generate electricity. Nuclear power plants, although controversial, harness the energy from chemical reactions to produce power.
We can now even exploit the heat generated from within the Earth for geothermal energy. All of these different types of renewable energy have their pros and cons. But as of today the most viable way for the individual consumer to power their home with renewable energy is by using solar panels.
How Solar Panels Work
Solar energy is harnessed via long, flat panels often attached to the roof of the building they’re powering. These panels are fitted with photovoltaic (PV) cells. PV cells are made up of two layers of silicon: one positively charged and one negatively charged.
When sunlight hits the PV cells, it knocks some of the electrons in the silicon atoms out of place. In other words, the sunlight breaks the chemical bonds tying the electrons to the rest of the atom.
These free-floating electrons are collected by conductive metal plates that transfer them into a circuit as electricity for your home. Once the electricity has been generated in this way, there are three things that can happen with it.
It can be used immediately for the energy needs of your home; it can be stored in a battery; or it can go back into the grid, contributing to the collective pot of electricity that everyone in your zone uses. Usually, energy from solar panels first goes to power the home.
If there is energy leftover, the homeowners can buy a battery to store the excess for use on cloudy days. However, installing a battery can be very expensive, and allowing the energy to go back into the grid is a great option.
First of all, in some places, your local energy provider will actually pay you for the energy you share. Second of all, your environmental impact is the same because, at the end of the day, someone is still using that renewable energy. And it costs you nothing because in that case, your own energy needs have already been covered.
Pros
Solar panels come with lots of advantages besides the most important fact that you’ll be significantly reducing your personal carbon footprint. Solar can minimize your electricity bill, or eliminate it altogether.
If you have an electric car that you charge at home, that also means cheaper or free fuel. As an added financial bonus, some states will give you a tax credit for installing them
They last a long time as well. You probably won’t need to change them for a good 25-30 years.
Cons
These benefits are huge. However, it’s important to be realistic about what solar energy can’t do (yet, at least). Even from an environmental standpoint, solar panels aren’t perfect.
There is a sizable impact associated with both their production and disposal. While they still come out ahead of fossil fuels, these areas need lots more research and development.
Along a similar line, solar panels have a long way to go in terms of efficiency. As of now, they only produce about 25% of the potential energy given off by the sun’s light. This is something we can hope will improve significantly as research continues.
Solar panels can be prohibitively expensive for many homeowners. Some states offer subsidies, tax credits, and other financial support for installing them, but not all states are doing this yet.
On the plus side, the price has dropped significantly in the last decade and is continuing to go down. There are even often options for the consumer to pay them off in installments roughly equivalent to that of their previous electricity bill.
Even if you can afford solar panels, they’re not necessarily the right option for you. They can’t be installed on all roof types and, of course, are nearly useless in places that aren’t sunny. For some people, solar panels are also an eyesore that they feel ruins the look of their home.
Solar panels will probably never be an efficient option for climates that aren’t sunny, but the other issues we see with them have the promise to be resolved with further research. For example, they’re cheaper and more efficient every day.
In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative estimates that the price will drop by 50% by 2030. The hope is that this will allow solar to cover 33% of U.S. electricity demand and decrease the GHG emissions of the electricity sector by 18% by 2050.
Meanwhile, Tesla has done its part by recently developing a solar roof: a roof already fitted with PV cells. This option allows the PVs cells to cover a greater area while looking more aesthetically pleasing.
Tips
If you’re considering installing solar panels in your home, take a look at some of the following tips to make the process as affordable and effective as possible. Remember, someone will need to assess your home before installation to make sure that your roof type is compatible and that you live in a sunny enough area for the panels to be worthwhile:
- Look for tax credits or other financial support provided by your local and state governments.
- Also look for payment installation schedules that approximate your average electricity bill.
- It may be tempting to go for cheaper panels, but there can be a significant difference in their efficiency from more expensive ones. This might mean you’ll have to pay more for electricity from the grid in the end. To choose the right solar company, look at how much energy their panels produce compared to other companies’.
- Solar panels are low maintenance, but to maximize their efficiency, make sure to get them cleaned regularly. Dust and debris can block the sun’s light from hitting the PV cells. You may need to do this 1-2 times per year, depending on how exposed your panels are to debris and how much rain will help to clean them. You will probably need to hire a professional to clean your panels; doing it yourself is possible, but can be tricky and even dangerous.
Also remember, you can maximize the benefits of your panels by implementing some basic efficiency tactics (which, by the way, are even more important if you’re not using solar panels!!):
- Invest in proper insulation in your walls. This will help keep your home the inside temperature from escaping, minimizing the need for heating and cooling appliances to be on.
- Well-fitted, good quality windows can also make a big difference in properly insulating your home.
- Get your central heating checked to make sure it’s heating your home efficiently.
- See if you can lower the temperature on your thermostat by a couple degrees. Likewise, try turning down the temperature of your showers.
- Make sure you use energy efficient appliances, from lightbulbs to dishwashers to electronics.
- Consider making your next car an electric one, and charging it at home via your solar panels.
