Residential Solar Power
Electricity from the Sun
Residential solar power systems are becoming more popular with the increasing awareness to clean air and global warming. see the advantages of solar over other energy sources.. Home solar power systems are in essence small photovoltaic power plants at affordable prices. I’ll give you the background on solar power generation using photovoltaic solar power and what to consider before you decide to install a solar power system in your home. Solar Power System Cost is obviously a consideration but so are installation, regulations and your home location. Home Solar Power Generation Systems Residential photovoltaic systems are complete systems that includes the solar panels and an inverter. The type of inverter used for the on grid solar power generation system is not the same as the one that is used for the off grid residential solar power systems.(see my page on the pure sine inverter)
Residential photovoltaic generation is the younger brother in the family. The older brother is water heating, a conversion of sun radiation into heated water As the younger brother, the technology is still evolving to the direction of better efficiency and lower cost As a rough estimate, the gross cost of buying and installing a residential photovoltaic (in other words using Sun Light radiation) power system is $8-9 per watt production capacity. A typical home will need 2,000-4,000 watts production capacity. 30% of the investment can be claimed back in federal tax credits and with states tax credits and incentives it can reach close to 50%. View my page on tax credits In certain situations, a solar tracker can enhance the annual electrical production of from a given solar panels array
The Photovoltaic EffectPhotovoltaic solar power generation is based on the photovoltaic effect Photovoltaic is a coined word; Photo is light (photons are the elementary light particles), Volta was an Italian scientist in the early days of electricity. The word means: "converting light photons (light particles) directly into electrical current". The solar panel output is the electrical power it produces
The History of Solar Power The history of photovoltaic effect is interesting. It started as an accidenal discovery 170 years ago and evolved into a fast growing industry. It spreads more into both utility scale power plants as well as the residential solar power segment.
The Photovoltaic Cell The photovoltaic cell is the smallest useful element that converts light to electrical power Like is older brother, the chemical electric cell (known as a battery), it delivers direct current (DC) to its load.
The Photovoltaic Panel A solar electric panel combines many photovoltaic cells in series and in parallel, scaling the voltage and current to fit the load Brilliant use for small size solar electric panels are in the following areas:
Grid Tied Solar Power Systems
Home grid tied (or grid connected) solar power generating systems are small to medium size "power plants".They are connected directly to the utility grid (hence the name).
Offgrid Residential Solar Power SystemsOff-grid solar power systems can supply electricity to homes and ranches that are far from the edge of the grid. In most cases it is highly recommended to add an off grid wind turbine to the off grid solar power plant. The wind generator complements the solar power system and resources can be shared between the two systems Offgrid solar power systems are also used in street lighting, traffic lights, remote public telephone boots and similar applications.
Turn Key Solar Power SystemYour easiest approach is to ask one leading company to evaluate your site and propose to you the Solar Power System that fits your need, has a good price value, takes full advantage of tax benefits and provides you with a turn key job. DIY Residential Solar Power Whether you plan a grid tied solar system or an offgrid solar power system, you have two more options - Bring in an experienced contractor
- Do it yourself; you need to find a reliable store to buy the solar kit from. A good solar equipment store will configure the sytem, will provide installation guidance and will provide the after sale support
Even if you plan to DIY, ask a contractor to come to your site and give you a proposal for a turn key job click to view frequently asked questions on residential solar power systems click to view more FAQ on residential solar electricity
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