Solar panels consist of a series of silicon solar cells covered by a sheet of glass and held together by a metal frame, with wiring and circuitry in and behind the cells to collect the flow of electrical current out of the solar cells. Each solar panel, also referred to as a solar module, is typically about 4 feet by 6 feet in size, and weighs approximately 30 pounds.
Thanks to the development of solar panels, we can harness the energy of an inexhaustible source of power (the sun). Solar panel systems work very simply:
- During the day, solar cells in your solar panels absorb the energy from sunlight.
- Circuits within the cells collect that energy and turn it into direct current (DC) energy.
- The DC electricity is passed through a device called an inverter to convert it to the usable alternating current (AC) electricity that comes out of your wall outlets.
- All of which means you can use that electricity in your home, store it with a solar battery, or send it back to the grid.
Solar panels include one or more PV modules assembled as a pre-wired, field-installable unit.
The most typical PV panel system is the grid-connected system, which as its name indicates, is connected to the national grid. This means that at night, when the solar panels do not work, you can use electricity from the grid.
The second type of PV panel system is the stand alone system, which is not connected to the grid. In this case you can add solar batteries to the system to have electricity when it gets dark. This system can be really convenient in remote areas where there is no alternative for other sources of electricity. Nowadays, thousands of people power up their homes and business with the help of PV panels.
