Solar 101
Will It Work for Me?
Modules
This is the key component of any solar photovoltaic system, which takes the sun’s energy and converts it into electrical current. Solar cells, also called photovoltaic (PV) cells by scientists, convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV gets its name from the process of converting light (photons) to electricity (voltage), which is called the PV effect. Thin layers of semi-conducting material that is charged differently between the top and bottom layers are used to produce electricity. The semi-conducting material can be encased between a sheet of glass and or a polymer resin.There are three main types of solar panels (as well as the hybrid version) currently in commercial production, all of which are based on silicon semiconductors.
1- Monocrystalline Silicon PV Panels
2- Polycrystalline Silicon PV Panels
3- Thin-film PV PanelsRead More
Invertors vs. Micro-inverters
We believe that inverters are an important part of any solar installation; they act like the brain of the system. The solar panels generate direct current (DC) electricity. As DC electricity cannot be used directly by common household appliances nor fed into the main grid, it first needs to be converted to Alternating Current (AC). Although the inverter’s main job is to convert DC power produced by the solar array into usable AC power, it has other roles as well. For instance, inverters enable monitoring so installers and system owners can see how a system is performing.
Racking system
Since every facility is unique and contains various structural designs, there are various racking systems used to install a solar system in order to make it more suitable for both residential and commercial projects.
- Roof Mount
There are a few things that need to be looked at if a roof mounted system is what you have in mind. For instance, the roof pitch, orientation and the roof type
- Ground Mount
Ground mounted systems make panel orientation much easier because they can be built to face any direction to maximize sun exposure. Cooler temperatures are ideal for solar panel use; because the lower the temperature the higher the efficiency of the panels.
Monitoring system
The first place most system owners look to assess their grid-tied PV system’s performance is their electricity bill. But examining bills won’t give you the big picture. Since most utility companies offer net metering, you’ll only be provided with the information they measure: How much electricity you import from the grid and, depending on the utility meter, how much your system exports to the grid. Because your bill won’t typically show how much PV-generated energy the home consumed, you won’t be able to determine how much energy your PV system produced overall by using the bill as your only guide. One of the most enjoyable aspects of having a solar PV system is tracking how much energy the system has generated over time. There are many PV monitoring options available in the market, but in all of the cases the energy monitoring system has to be compatible with the inverter.
(NEM) net energy metering?
Net Energy Metering
Net energy metering, or “NEM”, is a particular billing arrangement that provides credit to customers who own a solar PV system for the full retail value of the electricity their system generates. Under NEM, the customer’s electric meter monitors how much electricity is consumed by the customer, and how much excess electricity is generated by the system and sent back into the electric utility grid. Over a 12-months period, the customer has to pay only for the net amount of electricity used from the amount of electricity generated by their solar system (in addition to monthly customer transmission, distribution, and meter service charges they are subjected to).
How Net Energy Metering Works
At any time of the day, a customer’s solar system may produce more or less electricity than they need for their home or business. When the system’s production exceeds the customer demand, the excess energy generation automatically goes through the electric meter into the utility grid, running the meter backwards to credit the customer’s account. At other times of the day, the customer’s electric demand may be higher than the renewable energy system is producing, and the customer relies on additional power needs from the utility. Switching between solar system’s power and the utility grid power is instantaneous- therefore customers never notice any interruption in the flow of power.
Benefits of NEM
NEM is a key factor and a doorway to optimizing the rate of return on your solar investment.
- Allows customers to zero-out their bills.
- Credits customer accounts at full retail rates.
- Accurately captures energy generated and consumed, providing customers with annual performance data.
- Allows clients to even receive money if their system productions surpass a client’s yearly energy consumption.