How do solar panels work: All the Essentials

There is a dire need to move towards sustainable and green sources of energy. Solar panels work in an uncomplicated way and at the same time solving significant problems in terms of power production. According to the Solar Energy Industry Association the annual growth of the industry is about 50% throughout the last decade. Although the technology has grown quite prominent all around the globe, people don’t understand it generally. To some it might seem too good to be true.

But that is not the case and solar power comes with its challenges. The very first thing we can do to counter these obstacles is to educate people about this emerging technology. The article focuses on the working principles of solar panels. Shedding light on how it helps in mitigating climate change problems and the footprint left by energy production.

How do solar panels work

Interestingly 173,000 TeraWatts of solar energy hits the surface of earth at any given time. The energy potential of solar energy is 10,000 times that of the total energy requirements of the complete world. 

The solar panels have PV(photovoltaic cells) as the most crucial part of the unit. You can imagine them as the steam turbines in a hydroelectric power plant. The cells are silicon semi conductors. These cells line up in such a manner as to create an electric field within the solar panel. 

The energy production starts at the atomic level with silicon playing the most important part in the process. Essentially it is a semiconductor which is mixed with an impurity in a process called doping. Subsequently making a p-n junction which is responsible for making up an electric field. 

Thermal fusion is employed to achieve doping within the silicon wafer. Sunlight hits the solar panels freeing up electrons and creating an electric field. The electrons flow towards the conducting end of the panels which in turn connects with the conducting wires. The electric wires bring the electricity to the inverter and consequently to the storage unit. 

The storage unit however is not a necessary part of the process. You can accomplish energy production and distribution simultaneously. In case your solar unit produces excess energy the electricity from the inverter can pass down through the utility meter and into the utility grid in a process known as net metering.

How is solar energy converted into electricity

A person can perceive the sun as a natural nuclear reactor 93 million miles away from the surface of the earth. So basically solar energy is nothing but another source of nuclear energy like fusion and fission reactors which uses radioactive material such as uranium to generate energy. The technology in its feasibility and convenience is what makes it so viable and an engineering phenomena.

Sunlight travels a total of 8.5 minutes to reach the surface of the earth. Light travels in packets of energy called photons. These photons excite the semiconductor material in this case silicon which enables some of the electrons within the structure to gain enough energy to let loose.

These solar panels are made up of many tiny PV cells that line up to serve their purpose. The panels line up to create a solar array. Finally all the solar panels are designed in such a way as to create an electric field which compels these free electrons to travel in a specific direction. 

The electric field induces a potential difference in the first place ,the electrons move towards the conducting end of the solar plates due to this potential difference . The conducting wires collect these charges subsequently and lead this flow of charges/current towards the inverter. The flow of charges which makes up the current is DC, that is, it can flow in one direction only. However all the electric appliances and devices operate on AC current, which has a distinct nature of flowing in two directions. Ac or alternating current flows at a specific frequency alternatingly between the positive and negative ends of the circuit.

1.Ecoflow solar batteries and Generators

Another fine choice in terms of saving money in the form of ROI(Return on investment), and on top of that with tempting discount offers. The Ecoflow delta has been in the run for quite some time now and has proved its worth in terms of performance and sustainability.

Features

• Pioneer in home based battery for power backups.
• 3.6-25kWh expandable capacity with economical payment plans.
• Endurable LiFePO4 batteries with 10 years of least running endurance.
• 3600-7200 W AC output to charge most of the electrical appliances.
• Amazing 6500W multicharge with swift 2.7hrs AC charging.

2.Jackery SolarSaga 60W Solar Panel

Harness the power of sun and convert it into fuel for your electrical appliances wherever you go be it on a road trip, picnic in the mountains or during a power outage. This sleek design of Jackery solar panel equips you with an uninterrupted source of energy to convert into something useable for your devices and power usages.

Features

• 100W Monocrystalline solar panel with a sleek design and and easy to use stand to change the direction of the panel and align it to that of the suns’.
• Light weight (9.1lbs) and easy to carry around with a rubber handle and a firm grip. The solar panel is also foldable adding an extra layer of feasibility saving even more space and effort.
• With a relatively high conversion rate of 23%, soak the energy from the sun and save it up in your Lithium ion, Lithium iron or any solid state battery for long nights and backups.
• Monocrystalline silicon solar cells with multilayered technology and a high conversion rate and better performance.
• Durable and splash proof, with an ETFE-laminated case to make it durable. IP65 water-resistant to prevent damages caused by splashes. However avoid from directly placing under rain and in water.
• The panel has an amazing compatibility and can be coupled with Jackery Explorer 300,500,1000,1500 power station (sold separately).
• 2 output ports to directly charge small devices. 1* USB-C(5V,3A) output port and another USB-A(5V, 2.4A) port.

What does a solar inverter do

The inverter plays one of the most important roles in the solar production unit. The DC current is converted into AC supply which is either stored in solar batteries or used right away in the household. In the case of any surplus flow of current the excess current flows backwards through the utility meter towards the utility grid station where you can get credits for the power you produce. The process known as net metering, can be really helpful in driving the electricity bills down by a great amount.

How do solar panels work at night

Solar panels have an anti reflective coating that increases sunlight absorption and allows the silicon cells the maximum exposure. There are two fundamental structural arrangements in a PV cell.

Monocrystalline types are the ones with a single silicon crystal structure. This material type constitutes the high quality PV cells which are generally more expensive. These cells have a greater efficiency in that they create a stronger electric field.

Polycrystalline structure on the other hand is a cheaper alternative for the PV cells. This arrangement essentially is a shard of silicon fragments. The PV cells of this arrangement are cheaper and less efficient at the same time.

Whatever the PV cells you use, you can always store power within solar batteries when the sun is up. At night power can be pulled back from the batteries and used up in case of power outages and blackouts. You can even use this energy regardless of the power shortage from the utility grids and go completely independent and sustainable.

Despite the pros of using a solar unit combined with a net metering utility option, you can not completely harness solar power unless you have a solar battery system. However solar batteries can be expensive, with a single unit cost as high as $10,000 and you might need more than one of these battery units. If you don’t have that as an option, at the very least net metering is the way you can go with your solar production unit. 

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to be an engineer or a scientist to understand the basics of solar power units. Solar production might be one of the simplest forms of energy harvesting techniques, and yet the most straightforward one. 

Silicon semiconductors can revolutionize the energy industry in terms of a clean, renewable and a sustainable source of energy. The cost of PV panels are as low as almost 50% from the past decade due to the potential this technology holds.

Although you can’t power the complete household by using your solar unit at all times. You can however use the solar unit concurrently with the net metering utility meter as a very viable option.

Moreover you can enhance your solar unit to make it work at night. Sounds bizarre, yes but you can install a couple of solar batteries along with your solar generator or solar production unit to store any surplus energy. Any household can reverse the surfeit power through your utility meter and you would get credits for it.

Finally the investment on a solar unit can be quite high, the return on this investment is even greater. You can greatly cut down your monthly expenses by cutting down your electricity expenses.