How Solar Panels Work Basic

Mounting your pv panels is of critical importance.

How solar panels work basic.

Solar panels are composed of many smaller photovoltaic cells linked together. How many solar panels can be placed in series the designer needs to work out how many of those strings can be placed in parallel to get the desired system size. It releases tiny packets of energy called photons which travel the 149 6 million kilometres from the sun to earth in about 8 5 minutes. Our sun is a natural nuclear reactor.

Their placement and mounting affect your system performance more than any other facet of the job. How do solar panels work to generate electricity. When solar panels are put to work in a parallel array their voltage stays the same but you add up their current. If your panels don t get a lot of sun they won t work as efficiently as advertised.

Solar energy works by capturing the sun s energy and quietly and effectively turning it into electricity for your home or business. Once your designer has worked out what string length to be used i e. Here is a list of the pv system basics. Solar cells are sandwiches of conductive and semi conductive materials.

In its neutral state each silicon atom is connected to its neighbors by 4 strong. Pv panels which cost anywhere from 2 40 per watt to over 5 per watt are the single biggest expense of a pv system. Solar panels actually comprise many smaller units. Now that we have a basic idea of the generation and flow of solar electricity let s take a deeper dive into the science behind the solar photovoltaic panel.

Simply put a solar panel works by allowing photons or particles of light to knock electrons free from atoms generating a flow of electricity. Most solar cells are made up of silicon a semi conductor. The more panels you deploy the more energy you generate. You can buy equipment designed to mitigate this but it costs more.

Shade snow and other obstacles reduce the output of your solar panels. How do solar panels produce electricity. Solar panels are over 3 feet wide and 6 7 feet tall depending on configuration. The science behind solar pv cells solar pv panels are comprised of many small photovoltaic cells photovoltaic meaning they can convert sunlight into electricity.