In a previous article, we discussed the history and workings of photovoltaic cells. These cells use materials and elements that emit electrons, the particles that give us electricity, to generate power. How are they used to make solar panels and how does Solaron connect these to provide free electricity to customers all over Northern California?
What Makes a Solar Panel?
Solar panels, also called photovoltaic panels, combine multiple photovoltaic cells to produce specific amounts of power. The best solar panels available for consumer use come from SunPower, a local California company. SunPower has designed solar panels with two advantages over their competitors. First, their individual photovoltaic cells have remarkable efficiency – they produce more electricity when exposed to the sun that cells sold by other manufacturers. Second, their cells are durable – they have a very long lifespan and are guaranteed to produce exceptional amounts of electricity for 25 years. Solaron uses only SunPower products in its installations.
Connecting Panels Together
SunPower has also pioneered the development of a number of simple and effective techniques for connecting panels together. It takes many panels to power the typical home, and all these panels must be tied together in an electrical network to generate the electricity our clients need. So while a solar panel array may look like one big panel from a distance, in reality it is many smaller panels connected together both physically through a framework and electronically through wiring. This system allows for configurations that fit any roof or purpose-built platform, such as the shade structures now gracing many parking lots.
Getting Useful Current
Solar panels produce direct current, but households operate on alternating current. Therefore, your solar system by Solaron requires a device called an inverter. This component takes all the photovoltaic electricity from your many panels and converts it to a form your home can use. Extra energy that’s left over can be used to do any of the following:
- use the energy to charge other devices, like an electric car;
- send power to the electrical grid to receive a payment from the utility company;
- store the electricity in a battery bank for later use.
While the first option simply needs the right type of plug and outlet, the other two require additional components that add functionality to your solar system.
Start Using Solar Panels
You too can take advantage of the tremendous amounts of sunlight available in California! Installing a solar panel system from Solaron reduces your electricity bill, minimizes your household production of greenhouse gases and helps you start now on energy’s future. For more information about how solar power would work for your home, contact a Solaron representative at 916-631-9293 for a free solar analysis and quotation.