Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last ten years you’ve probably heard about solar panels. Nonetheless, the technology can become very complicated quite quickly and it’s very possible and understandable if you are still a bit fuzzy on what all the fuss is about. In this article we will discuss the basics of what a solar panel is, how it works, and why the whole world is going crazy for them.
WHAT ARE SOLAR PANELS?
Solar panels are devices that absorb energy from the sun. They come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny strips you may remember that powered calculators to giant panels you’ve no doubt seen on the roofs of houses and factories. They all operate in much the same way though they can be made of different materials which have different advantages. Solar photovoltaic panels function by transferring the energy they absorb into an electrical current which passes out of the panel through wires into a regulator and inverter box that transforms and transfers the electrical current into either a battery storage system or your mains electrical system.
WHY IS EVERYONE RAVING ABOUT SOLAR?
There is a lot of hype about solar in the media and for good reason. The technology has come a long way in the last few years both in terms of increasing energy absorbing efficiency and a decrease in the cost of production. Combined these two effects mean that solar is cheaper and more powerful than it has ever been.
The right size solar setup has the capacity to power your entire home and or your business without requiring you to purchase electricity from the grid. This is exceptionally beneficial if you live or work in a place that is a long way from the mains power grid or you have ethical concerns about the use of fossil fuels for mains energy production.
A solar system installation provides renewable energy from your home. Once it is installed it will keep producing electricity with no additional cost to you or the environment. To increase the appeal of this most quality manufacturers put extensive warranties on their products so that the savings made from being off mains far exceed the cost of the initial outlay.
HOW ARE SOLAR PANELS INSTALLED?
Solar panels must be installed by trained and licensed professionals to maintain their warranties. Properly licensed electricians are the best people to install panels because it is more than a matter of simply attaching the panels to the roof. For starters, the orientation of the panels needs to be precisely calculated to maximise the quantity of sunlight coming into the panel. In the southern hemisphere, this starts by having them face in a northerly direction.
Once the panels are installed they need to be wired correctly into a regulator that is powerful enough to handle the absolute highest possible amount of energy that can come from the solar panel array. The regulator or charge controller is then connected to your battery storage system and an inverter. The batteries can store energy for use at times when demand exceeds what is being provided by the sun and the inverter converts the electricity stored in the batteries or coming from the panels into usable electricity for your house.
TO HAVE SOLAR PANELS INSTALLED AT YOUR PROPERTY CONTACT DR SPARKY ELECTRICAL
Dr Sparky Electrical is Perth’s one-stop shop for solar installation and maintenance. We can help you with everything from choosing your panels, to installing them and wiring up the entire system with the regulator, battery storage and inverter.
Contact us online or call us today on 1800 377 727.
