Solar Power
Sunlight that is converted into electricity with the help of photovoltaic cells or by using concentrated solar power (CSP) is called Solar Power. Solar energy is a natural resource and is something that is green and renewable and it is an ideal source to make electricity as you get very high energy levels from the sun and this was the first green energy technology that was developed. The use of solar panels has been around for a few decades and there are advancements that are happening in that field. Earlier only photovoltaic cells were used in solar power generation, but now the latest trend is to use concentrated solar power where a combination of lenses, mirrors and tracking devices will help to focus the large areas of sunlight it receives into a small beam. There are many solar power stations across the globe and there are many more that are in the process of being formed. But there are smaller version that can be used to power your home and that is what we will be looking into.
Home Solar Power System Components
- Photovoltaic Cells – The solar cells are enclosed in a photovoltaic module that is called the solar panel and a collection of solar panels is called the solar panel array
- Battery – Electricity is generated by the solar panels from the suns radiation and gets stored in the battery as DC current.
- Inverter – The inverter or convertor is what converts the DC power into AC power that can be used by appliances in your home. There will some energy loss when the current gets converted from DC to AC and this is the only place where there will be loss of energy.
- Regulator – This is optional equipment in a solar power system, but is also considered to be vital as it will help to protect the battery from getting overcharged and also prevent discharge and will help to keep the battery in appropriate working condition.
There are other components like the breaker panel, AC panel, circuit breaker panel, solar array panel mounting racks, Array DC disconnect, and power meter and also generators that can be added to the solar power system.
Advantages Of Using Home Solar Power System
Over the years, people have been dependent on power grids for their electricity requirements and the power scenario is not looking too good at the moment with a lot of demand rising for electricity and with depleting resources. So it is a good option to have a power source of your own by installing a solar power system for your home. You get clean, renewable energy which will be free after a few years as you compensate the cost involved in installing the system by saving on power bills.
Making Money Out Of Home Solar Power Systems
In many countries you have the option of sending power back to the grid, wherein the electricity that is produced by your home solar power system can be sold to the power company. If you have excess power that is being generated by your home solar power system then you can look at this option as it will help you recover the costs of setting up the solar power system a lot faster.
