Home Solar Power Facts

What are the solar power facts the novice homeowner wants to know? The facts that he or she need to know before investing in home solar energy and home solar power? Review bellow the basic facts about solar energy a homeowner would like to know.

The 3 Questions about Home Solar Power

Here are the most frequently asked questions (FAQ) about home solar power energy:

What is the difference between solar power generating systems and solar thermal systems?

What are the major components of a solar power generation system?

What are solar electric panels and what types of electric panels are available in the marketplace?

The answers to these question are in the paragraphs bellow.

What is the difference between solar power generating systems and solar thermal systems?

You look up to building roofs and you see black flat panels that are directed toward the Sun. They all look the same but they are of two distinct types. If you look carefully, you can see on the first type the meandered pipes underneath the glass, above the black background. These are the solar thermal collectors, their task is to heat up water and they convert sun radiation into heat using the greenhouse effect

The other type, that looks like an array of smaller panels (AKA solar cells), generate DC electricity using the photovoltaic effect

What are the major components of a solar power generation system?

The major components are:

The solar electric panels
The solar power inverters
The deep cycle batteries (an essential component for off grid solar systems), in most cases storage batteries are not necessary for grid tied homes.

view the more reading section for more details on the major solar components

What are solar electric panels and what types of electric panels are available in the marketplace?

Solar electric panels convert Sun radiation directly into DC electricity. They utilize the photovoltaic effect to generate power and they are essentially flat sheets of semiconductor material. The most common types are mono-crystalline silicon, poly-crystalline silicon and thin-film solar power panels.

Solar Power Benefits

A homeowner enjoys the many advantages solar power can provide. The advantages are economical and environmental. Solar panels are versatile. Click to read more on the many solar power benefits