Solar 101

Solar 101

The Solar Components

The solar components you can expect to find in the initial design include:  

  • The Solar Panels
    Standard solar panels that create electricity are called Photovoltaic Panels, or PV panels. Each panel is a made up of a grid composed of thinly-sliced wafers of semiconductor material (usually silicon) that is laid flat and sandwiched inside the weatherized rectangular PV panel. 

    When exposed to sunlight, the silicon wafers free up any extra electrons. These electrons are collected inside the panel in a positively and negatively charged grid of metal wiring. 

    As the electrons are freed, the +/- charged wires direct them along the metal grid creating an electric current. 
     
  • The Array  
    The solar panels are laid out in an array with each panel facing the sun in the same angle and plane, thereby duplicating the current from panel to panel. 
     
  • The Inverters  
    As the sun’s power exists in what we call Direct Current (DC), and our homes and businesses run on Alternating Current (AC), the electricity from the solar panels must travel to an inverter. This component then converts the DC power of the sun to usable AC power. 
     
  • The Micro-Inverter
    Increasingly, panels are made with the inverter components already built into each panel. These microinverters convert the power from DC to AC at each individual panel location, eliminating the need for the string inverter listed above.
     
  • The Balance of the System
    While the panel and the inverters make up the most critical elements of a solar power system, there are additional components necessary to support a working unit. All of these additional parts are what we call the balance of the system. They consist of the:
  • roof stands and racking 
  • methods and materials that attach the panels to the structure 
  • wires and conduit that move the electricity from the panels to the inverter, and from the inverter to the electric panel

Go Solar in 5 Easy Steps

Go Solar in 5 Easy Steps