Overtime, solar energy has become one of the best forms for many reasons.It’s affordable, durable, and, overall, renewable. At the same time,it offers a cleaner source of power, and it is the go-to medium forwhen the power grid fails.
In short, there are so many reasons why solar panel installation Surrey residents users are making waves.
But people don’t know how a bunch of panels can convert sunlight into electricity for their homes. It’s time to provide the answers, so read on to find out.
What Are Solar Panels Made Of?
Every item’s function is based on its components. With that said, it’s impossible to understand how a solar panel works without knowing the materials it’s made of. The most common element found in solar panels is silicon. It serves as the major material that solar panels are made from.
However, in the absence of silicon, other elements like gallium and selenide are used. These help the panels generate reasonable power output. Other elements come in during the production process. These include strips of negative silicon.
The essence of those strips is to form what serves as the photovoltaic cell. It is the combination of photovoltaic cells under glass that form what we regard as solar panels.
Moving on, every panel contains a conductive metal plate with connections to various wires that combine to create a fused array. This is vital because it’s this array that allows for the conversion of current from direct to alternating, leading to power output.
Converting Solar Energy to Electricity
In simpler words, solar panels work by converting invisible light particles into electricity through a collision process. Going deeper, it’s seen that the process involves the photons (light particles) agitating the atoms present until they break away.
When that happens, those electrons move freely, and this movement converts the light energy into electricity that powers households and appliances. Silicon, again, is effective here because it regulates electrical imbalances.
That way, solar-powered households don’t suffer from the unstable power supply. Then the wires in the fused array collect this energy and distribute it to the household.
Factors that Affect Solar Panel Electricity Generation
The components of a solar panel are vital to its functions. At the same time, there are external factors that affect a solar panel’s power generation. There are 4 core factors to consider which include:
- Season: the efficiency of any solar panel depends heavily on the weather conditions of that region. Days with more clouds will cause less power output than days that are bright and sunny.
- Shade: if you place panels in areas that are shaded, e.g. under trees and poles, it becomes difficult to harness solar energy at a high rate.
- Tilt: the direction your home faces also affects the ability of solar panels to generate electricity. Home roofs with a slight tilt(30-45 degrees) have better luck generating power from the sun.
- Compass Direction: it’s important to factor in the direction from which the sunlight is coming. Placing the panels at the wrong angle reduces solar panel efficiency. Placing the panels in the direction of the equator serves as the best option.
Conclusion
Solar panels make it easier to generate clean and renewable energy thanks to their many components and functions. Understanding these processes will help provide better insight into how sunlight can be used to power your home.
