Basic Answers to Questions About Solar Panels

Despite all the hubbub about solar panels, many people still have basic questions about solar energy and how it works. While you don’t need to know a thing about current flow or positive and negative poles to turn on a switch and get light, sometimes it’s nice to understand a little bit about the workings. Here’s a little basic information about solar PV systems and how they work.

What are Solar PV Panels?

The PV in solar PV panels stands for “photovoltaic”, a word that is made up of two parts: “photo”, from the Greek word for light and “Volta”, derived from the electrical energy innovator, Alessandro Volta, who gave his name to the “volt” – a basic unit of electrical measurement. Thus, solar PV panels are panels that make electricity from the light of the sun.

What are Solar Cells?

Solar cells are the basic unit in solar panels. Each solar cell is made up of a material – usually silicon – that reacts to light by producing energy. Each solar panel is made up of a number of photovoltaic solar cells arranged in a grid on an aluminum frame and covered with glass or another transparent material to protect the surface.

When light hits the solar PV cells, they create a field of electricity, which is converted by an inverter from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) which can be used by appliances and other electrical gadgets in your home, or sent back to the grid to become part of the pool of electricity used by everyone.

Why Do We Put Solar Panels on a Roof?

The amount of electricity produced by solar panels is directly related to the amount of daylight that hits the solar cells. A south-facing roof provides the most amount of daylight, thus placing solar panels on a south-facing roof at the proper angle collects the most direct sunlight, thus is generally the best place to locate solar panels. In some cases, a solar PV installer may determine that a south facing wall – or one that faces within 90 degrees of south – is a better alternative because a roof isn’t suited for one reason or another; and occasionally, when a property has enough land with no shade or obstructions, solar panels may be installed at ground level on frames.

How Much Do Solar PV Panels Cost?

The cost of installing a solar PV system typically runs between £8,000 and £15,000, depending upon the size of the system and the makeup of the solar panels. The energy savings trust estimates that the typical household can save about £200 per year on your electricity bill, and cover up to 50% of your electricity needs with a 2kWp system. In addition, the government provides subsidies that pay you for every watt of electricity that your solar panels produce. Taken together the subsidies (from the feed-in tariff scheme, or FiTS) and the electricity savings can repay the costs of your solar panels within 10 years.