A solar panel is a sizable flat, rectangular shape, usually somewhere between the dimensions of a radiator and a door. Power collectors, called solar cells, make up solar panels. A solar cell is usually 8-sided and blue-black in color, about the size of your palm. Just like the cells in a battery, these cells are intended to generate electricity. However, these cells use sunlight instead of chemicals to create electricity. Solar panels are also called Photovoltaic panels (or PV panels), which comes from a combination of the Greek word for light, and electricity pioneer Alessandro Volta.
How these systems work The main difference is how each of the systems utilizes solar radiation. A passive system uses the orientation of the building and the positioning of windows and other elements in order to capture the sunlight that is naturally present. A home which has a southern orientation and which utilizes high-energy windows and doors can actually reduce their heating bills by as much as 30%. The average energy savings is actually around 10%.
Active systems are more recognizable as they use solar panels to harness the light of the sun. These can be used to either generate electricity or to heat water that is then used in a variety of ways. The benefit to active solar systems is that they are able to capture solar radiation even on days when it is overcast, whereas a passive system may be more dependent on outdoor weather conditions.
It's incredible to think that the power transmitted by the sun in just one hour, is more than the whole world uses in a year. Designing (or redesigning) a building to take advantage of sunlight and heat is using passive Solar Power. This can be achieved by adding more insulation to your roof, or installing an extra south-facing window. Any "passive" adjustments like these would be installed either when the house is initially built, or during major renovation. Adding solar panels or other sunlight collectors would be referred to as active Solar Energy.
Any extra electricity you create using your solar panels, if you're attached to the grid, will be paid for by the utility company. Accounting for a solar energy system's electricity production and enabling utilities to purchase excess energy from homeowners, net metering is allowed in 30 states. The most frequently used option is a single, reversible meter. As a solar energy system produces electricity, the kilowatts are used first to meet on-site energy demand. Excess electricity is then fed into the grid, turning the electric meter backwards, instead of being stored in a battery. The homeowner is credited for the extra kilowatts at the end of each metering period.
A system that is designed to heat water is set up slightly differently. It uses a series of tubes that travel through the solar panel. As the water travels through the panel it is heated by solar radiation and is then stored in a large tank. When the home requires hot water it is pumped into the home where it is able to do its duty. As it cools, it travels back through the system of tubes and is reheated by the solar cell.
Both forms of active solar energy can be used even when sunlight is not strong. All a solar panel needs is to be fairly unobstructed by trees or buildings in order to generate enough power for a home or office.
Property value can be increased by the addition of solar panels. According to HUD, for every $1,000 you save in annual utility bills the value of your home rises by $20,000. A house which is energy efficient is of great value in the eyes of a potential buyer. In addition to the other benefits, a solar system means a home has a back-up system during electricity blackouts. A home-buyer knows that if they buy a house with a solar power system installed, they are also buying peace of mind - knowing that during any power outages they will be unaffected.
Installing panels on a roof that faces east or west will still work - you don't have to have a south-facing roof. Another effective option is the ground-mounted solar system placed in a flat, un-shaded area. A pole, cemented into the ground holds the solar panel in place. Batteries which have been charged with any surplus electricity produced by the solar panels during the day can provide energy overnight.
The United States is by far the major energy consumer in the world. 25% of the world's power consumption is by the US - even though it accounts for only 5% of the entire population of the earth. A 100mw solar energy plant in Israel will provide more than 200,000 people with electricity, and they have plans to build an even bigger plant in the future - a 500mw plant. The world's largest Solar Electricity system can be found in Bavaria, while around 1/2 of solar panels manufactured worldwide are used in Japan. When looking at these facts we can see how far America has to go in order to make the most of solar energy.
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