How can I harness
Solar Energy with Solar Panels?
Home Solar Energy Systems
As a result of rising electricity prices, solar
panels have become a cost-effective renewable energy choice
for homeowners across the country. You can reduce your
monthly utility costs, add immediate value to your home,
and produce your own clean power by installing a solar
panel system.
Solar Energy and Solar Panel Benefits
Limit cost of electricity
- avoid the rising costs of electric power from utility companies
Obtain tax credits and rebates - tax
credits and rebates on solar energy systems are available
to home owners and can be great enough
to cover up to 50% of the cost of your new Solar Energy
System
Net Metering, Sell solar energy to the Power
Company- in many states, you can sell your excess
power back into the grid
Generate Renewable Energy - power from
the sun is free, produces no pollution, or emissions,
and is the most abundant Renewable Energy Resource!
Gain power independence - rely completely
on your own Solar Energy generating capacity avoiding
Brown/ Blackouts
Solar panels offer home owners the ability
to generate free, clean, electricity to meet their needs.
Solar Energy systems are comprised of photovoltaic (PV
Solar Panels) cells, devices that convert sunlight energy
directly into electricity, without producing any harmful
emissions or pollution.
Solar energy systems are being installed by both home
owners with and without grid supplied electricity who
want to reduce and even eliminate their energy costs.
PV Solar Panels systems offer the least expensive, most
viable Renewable Energy option for Rural or remote applications
that are located away from the power grid.
In use today on homes and offices around the world, as
well as on remote industrial facilities, street lights,
security gates and outdoor signs, solar energy systems
are gaining popularity around the world as traditional
energy costs and Nuclear Power Plant Accident concerns
continue to rise.
Going Green with Renewable Energy
Solar Energy is free and produces no harmful emissions
or pollutants. By installing solar panels, you can directly
contribute to the repair and preservation of the environment
by producing your own clean power.
How Solar Energy Systems Work
A solar energy system captures the bountiful energy of
the sun, and converts that into energy required to run
and operate electrical appliances. A solar panel, made
up of photovoltaic (PV) cells captures and transforms
light photons into electricity. That electricity is then
converted and used by your home. Electricity that is not
used or consumed by your home is sent into the Power Grid
or stored in a large battery for use whenever it is needed.
The simplicity of solar energy systems ensures that they
will be extremely reliable and low maintenance.
How PV (photovoltaic) Cells Function
PV cells are made up of at least two layers of semiconductor material. One layer has a positive charge, the other a negative charge. When sunlight enters the cell, some of the photons from the sunlight are absorbed by the semiconductor material, freeing electrons from the cell's negative layer to flow through an external circuit and back into the positive layer. This flow of electrons produces an electric current.
To increase solar energy output, several individual PV
cells are wired together and sealed in a weatherproof
housing referred to as a module, or solar panel. Solar
panels are then wired together in a PV array to achieve
the desired voltage and current to fit your needs.
System Design Options
Grid-Tie Systems
With a "Grid-Tie" solar energy system, you can
supplement your power needs with electricity from a local
utility when the solar energy system is not supplying
enough power (at night), and sell excess electricity back
to the local utility when the solar energy system is generating
more energy than you need to power your home. This is
also known as 'Net Metering". During peak day light
hours, your solar energy system feeds electricity back
through your Electric Meter literally turning it backwards.
Grid-Tie home solar energy systems require a utility interactive
DC to AC inverter that converts the direct current (DC)
electricity produced by the solar panel array into alternating
current (AC) electricity typically required for use in
homes. Inverters also have built-in safety features required
to connect to the local power grid.
In order to provide uninterrupted power during power outages
a battery back-up system is required. Battery back-up
systems use deep cycle batteries that need very little
or no maintenance. A controller is used to prevent the
batteries from being overcharged or overly discharged.
Off-Grid Systems
For locations that are "Off-Grid", with no access
to existing power lines, solar panels are ideal for powering
water pumps, electric fences, as well as entire homes,
while avoiding the cost to extend power lines to new locations.
During peak daylight hours your solar energy system powers
your home and excess electricity is stored in battery
banks that are used later during off-peak hours (Night
time hours).
All solar energy systems require solar panels,
a power inverter, proper wiring and mounting structures,
switches and fuses for safety, and grounding systems to
protect against power surges from lighting strikes.
Easy And Versatile To Install
Because solar energy systems are self-contained and modular,
they are easy to install and service, and can be designed
to offset some or all of your energy costs. Solar panels
can be placed beside your home using a ground stand or
mounted on the roof for horizontal or angled use. Our
installer can have your solar energy system installed
in a matter of a few hours and rarely has to enter your
home.
Century Wind can help you decide
what solar energy system is right for you!
Let Century Wind help you
select the right Renewable Energy source for you today!
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