How Do Solar Panels Work Exactly? A Simple Guide
At the end of 2018, the United States had enough solar energy to power 12.3 million homes. There's no denying that solar energy is on the rise, but it may be hard to understand how it all really works.
If you are curious about how do solar panels work and if it's something you should invest in for your home, make sure to keep reading how it all works!
What is Solar Energy?
Everyone has probably heard of solar energy and that it comes from the sun. This true but it goes deeper than that.
Each particle of energy from the sun is called a photon. The photons hit the earth, resulting in giving us sunlight and heat. The sun is basically just a huge nuclear reactor that produces radiation that reaches the earth.
Over time we have discovered how to capture and use the sun's energy as a renewable resource!
How Do Solar Panels Work?
Solar panels are a tool that captures solar energy from the sun and converts it into energy that is able to power homes, buildings, and even electric cars!
The solar panel is made up of tiny units called photovoltaic cells. These photovoltaic cells are what coverts the energy captured from the sun into electricity. These cells are comprised of two pieces of semiconducting material.
The next task is creating an electric field. To create a negative and positive side, the scientist can actually insert materials into the silicon of the semiconducting material to create positive and negative charges.
Now that the electric field is created, when a photon hits the panel it will knock the electrons free, creating a steady flow of energy. With the growing technology of solar panels, scientists have been able to create smaller and smaller devices to capture this energy.
Advantages of Solar Energy
As previously mentioned, sunlight can be used as a renewable resource. There are no greenhouse gasses emitted through solar energy, which keeps the ozone layer of our atmosphere safe.
Along with no greenhouse emissions, it will save you money in the long run. Since you are using solar energy you won't be paying a high electric bill. If your solar panels are grid-tied you can even sell back excess energy to the electric company resulting in you making a profit.
You can place a solar panel anywhere, most people place them on roofs since it won't take up any extra surface area. Solar panels are typically low in maintenance since they will usually last you up to 30 years.
These are just a few advantages of solar energy, make sure to check out these other advantages of solar energy!
Install Solar Panels Now
Now that you have some knowledge about how do solar panels work, its time to set up a consultation and get your home running off of solar energy.
You'll love having a lower electric bill along with knowing you're helping the environment. If you enjoyed this article make sure to check out our other posts to learn even more about solar energy!