Are you familiar with how solar cells work? Here’s a quick refresher. As light photons meet a photovoltaic cell, electrons inside the cell get agitated and knocked loose from atoms in the cell. With conductors attached to the positive and negative sides of the cell, an electrical circuit is formed by the moving electrons, generating electricity.
Putting the PV Pieces Together
A solar cell is typically about 6 inches long by 6 inches wide (with Maxeon solar panels through SunPower, those dimensions may change depending on the model of solar panel). When you connect a series of solar cells in an array, it becomes a solar panel. Therefore, a solar panel is really just a housing for a group of photovoltaic cells. When a homeowner has a solar power system installed, they usually have several solar panels added. In essence, they could have over 700 solar cells on their roof, generating electricity with every pass of the sun.
The average home uses about 577 kilowatts per month. SunPower solar panels produce anywhere from 300 to almost 500 watts at peak production. The more solar panels you install, the more electricity that is generated by the solar power system. When designing your panel system, Solaron takes things like utility usage, Federal and State regulations, county restrictions, utility requirements, roof space, and other factors into play. The goal is to produce enough electricity for you to supplement or supplant your home needs throughout the year.
Of course, not all solar panels – or solar cells – are created equal. Some are made with a polycrystalline structure, where others like those from SunPower use a monocrystalline structure to remove hurdles in energy conduction and to maximize efficiency. Others use microinverters outside of the array, built by other manufacturers. SunPower uses microinverters built right into the panels themselves, so the electricity doesn’t travel as far to the microinverter, again improving efficiency. Other benefits include using non-corrosive materials, a base structure built by the same company as the solar panels, and a comprehensive 25-year warranty on the entire system.
In fact, SunPower uses Maxeon as their sole manufacturer because they use the highest quality parts and most efficient designs to create the best panels on the market. SunPower M Series solar panels, built exclusively by Maxeon, generate as much as 435 watts each! And Solaron works with SunPower exclusively. That means when you have Solaron install your photovoltaic system in Sacramento or the Bay Area, you can rest assured you’re getting the best solar system available.
There are many more details on SunPower photovoltaic power systems. We periodically cover many of them through this blog. But to get your questions answered promptly and directly, we recommend you call the experts at Solaron. Our agents are well-versed in the latest numbers and details on the solar industry, and we’re happy to provide you with information. Give our office a call, or schedule a free solar analysis online to find out details on how a solar energy system will benefit you.