Solar PV Panels – How to Choose the Right One For Your Home
Solar pv panels are a source of electricity which can help you cut your energy costs and make a positive contribution to the environment. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing which type of system to purchase and install, and the best one for your home will depend on your energy requirements and budget.
A solar PV system produces electricity by converting the energy radiated by sunlight into direct current (DC) power using photovoltaic cells, which are made out of semiconducting material such as silicon. A single cell can generate up to 2 Watts of electricity, which is enough to power a calculator or wristwatch. However, to produce sufficient electricity for residential use, a group of cells, called a module, are connected in parallel or series.
The primary environmental variables influencing solar PV conversion potential are insolation, air temperature, wind speed and relative humidity. Typical land covers associated with highest solar power potential are croplands, grasslands and wetlands. This is likely due to the fact that most croplands were previously savannas/grasslands and wetlands.
The Power of Light: An In-Depth Guide to Solar PV Panels for Clean Energy Generation
There are two main types of PV panels, monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline panels, which are dark blue or black with blunted edges, have cells that are made from monocrystalline silicon crystals that face the same direction. This allows the cells to be more efficient when struck by perpendicular light and is why these are the most common domestic PV modules. Polycrystalline panels are a lighter, iridescent blue and are produced by melting together many mono-crystals, which makes them less expensive than monocrystalline panels.