Solar Panels - What You Need to Know

The most important thing to know about solar panels is what you don't need to worry about. If you want to generate clean energy without having to pay a fortune for it, Powerlec solar panels are one of the best ways to go. But there's a lot of jargon thrown around when you talk about solar panels. So, here's everything you need to know - including how much money you'll save over the next 25 years.

Choosing the Best Solar Panels – Points to Consider

When it comes to choosing the best solar panels for your home, there are many things to consider. How much power do you want to generate? Do you care about aesthetics? Is cost important to you? What size of system do you require? These questions and more must be answered before deciding on the ideal solar panels for your needs. But how do you go about doing this?

The key to finding out what the best solar panels for you are lies in understanding the characteristics of each product. This article aims to help you make sense of the options available to you when looking into purchasing solar panels.

Solar Panel Efficiency

When people think about solar power, they often think about panels. But what do those panels actually do? And how efficient are they? Solar Panels convert light into electricity. They consist of photovoltaic cells, which are basically little solar panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity. The most important characteristic of a solar cell is its efficiency, which measures how much electricity it produces compared to the amount of sunlight hitting the panel.

You might have heard that solar panels are getting better and better. This is true. Over the last few decades, manufacturers have been able to improve the efficiency of solar panels because of technological advances. But there is one problem: the sun doesn't always shine. So even though we're making solar panels more efficient, we still need ways to store the energy when the sun isn't shining.

That's where batteries come in. Batteries can store the extra electricity generated during daylight hours and release it later. So let's say you live in an area that gets 10 hours of sunshine each day. If you had a 20% efficient solar panel, you'd generate 2,400 kilowatt-hours of electricity every month.

Solar Panel Cost

When weighing up how much solar power costs, the obvious calculation you must make is: How many kilowatts of electricity do I generate per dollar spent on modules? Or, alternatively, dollars are generated per kilowatt.

Good quality solar panels cost from $0.67 to $1.60/Wp, depending on the panel type, and that includes GST. So, let's say you're looking at purchasing a 4kWp system. You'd need to spend around $4,800-$10,400 to purchase a 4kWp solar array.

This is just for the panels themselves and does not include other system components or installations. For example, a typical residential rooftop system might include inverters, charge controllers, battery banks, mounting racks, cables, junction boxes, etc., all of which add to the overall cost.

As a general rule, you tend to get exactly what you pay for - so be careful about choosing solar panels solely based on price, as cheap could mean poor performance and reliability. But there are often bargains to be had, special offers and some suppliers are simply more competitive.

Just ensure you're comparing apples-to-apples in terms of warranty, servicing, product quality and so forth.

How do solar panels work?

Solar power works by converting the sun’s rays into electricity. A solar cell contains three main components: semiconductors, transparent conductive oxide (TCO), and grid lines.

The semiconductor layer acts like a switchboard, allowing electrons to move across it. This allows the electrons to travel down the wire and produce electricity. To make the process efficient, the semiconductor must be able to absorb the maximum amount of light possible.

Transparent conductive oxides allow the electrons to pass through the materials. They also act as wires, helping the electrons to travel along the wires. Finally, the grid lines help the electrons to flow smoothly through the system.

Additional resources

Solar power is one of the most important sources of renewable energy today. In fact, it is the fastest growing source of clean energy worldwide. And while there are many different types of solar technology out there, what exactly makes it such a great option for powering our homes and businesses? Let's take a look at some of the facts about solar energy.

1. It's Cheap

One of the biggest benefits of solar energy is that it is extremely affordable. As long as we continue to develop the technology, solar panels are likely to become even cheaper and more efficient. This could mean that solar becomes cost competitive with traditional electricity generation, like coal and nuclear power plants.

2. It Saves Money Over Time

Another big benefit of solar is that it saves money over time. When people start generating their own electricity, they end up saving money because they don't have to pay utility bills anymore. Instead, they keep all the extra cash that they used to spend on paying for electricity.

3. It Helps Reduce Our Carbon Footprint

The third reason why solar is so beneficial is that it helps reduce carbon emissions. Solar panels use sunlight to generate electricity, so they actually help us cut down on greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. They do this without emitting harmful pollutants into the air.

What are the environmental benefits of using solar?

A home solar power system offers many benefits for the environment. Not only does it reduce energy costs and carbon emissions, but it also helps improve air quality and protect wildlife habitats. Solar panels are one of the most efficient ways to generate renewable energy. They use sunlight to produce electricity, and they don't emit greenhouse gases as fossil fuels do. If you live in a sunny area, installing a solar panel system could save you money, while helping the planet.