What Is Solar Power And How Is It Made?
Posted on 2010 under solar power for homes | 2 Comments19 Feb
We are now going to discuss the different types of systems used to produce solar power, beginning with grid-tied systems.
Grid-Tied – A Definition.
A grid-tied solar power system (also referred to as grid-intertied, or on-grid or utility-interactive(UI)) produces solar electricity that is fed directly into the utility grid, hence the term grid-tied. The system is tied, literally, to the grid.
It’s frequently the case, e.g. during the day on weekdays when the majority of families are away from their homes, that a grid-tied system is still producing electricity, even though very little, if any, is being used in the home. This surplus energy is then fed into the grid, offsetting a residence’s electrical usage, and causing the electricity meter to rotate backwards, causing in the account with the utility company being credited with that amount of power (this is known as net metering or net billing, and is not available in all states).
Elements Of A Grid-Tied Solar Electric system.
1. Solar Panels
Also known as solar modules or photovoltaic (PV) panels, this is where all the the ‘supernatural’ of converting solar energy into solar power (or electricity) begins. Briefly, this refers to the scientific process by which solar energy is transformed into electricity.
One panel by itself will not generate a great deal of power as far as running household equipment, etc., is concerned, so, more often than not, multiple panels are joint to provide the required amount of power.
2. Mounting Racks.
Mounting racks are used to locate PV panels in place and to ensure they’re correctly directed, i.e. facing south wherever possible to gain the maximum quantity of solar energy. Depending on the amount of space available, obstructions, etc., 3 types of mounts are available: 1) poles that are set in concrete; 2) rooftop (the most common in urban areas ); 3) ground (usually only an option where plenty of land is available).
3. DC Disconnect.
This is used to safely disconnect the flow of electricity from the PV panels in case of current overload.
4. Inverter.
The inverter takes the raw DC power generated by the solar panels and converts it to usable AC (alternating current) electricity, which can then be fed into the utility grid, and, subsequently, available to power household appliances, lighting, etc., since they all run off AC power.
5. AC Breaker Panel/Inverter AC Disconnect.
The breaker panel is where, as they say, “the twain shall meet”, i.e. the electrical wiring of a dwelling connects to the power supply, whether it is the grid or the solar energy system. It contains labeled circuit breakers used for both maintenance purposes and to protect the wiring from fires, etc.
6. Kilowatt Hour Meter.
In the case where a building has a grid-tied solar electric system, most utility companies provide a bi-directional meter free of charge that can measure both the electricity being fed back into the grid as well as being pulled out of the grid. As you can notice, there’s not a great deal in terms of complexity to a grid-tied solar power system, but the benefits and savings it can provide are far-reaching.
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by Stop Anxiety Tyler, on February 25 2010 @ 5:57 pm
It doesn’t seem very hard to do, it just costs a lot of money, the best thing to do would to make it more cost effective so that more homes would buy into it.
Stop Anxiety Tyler´s last blog ..Anxiety Release Center
by Used Cool Cars, on March 16 2010 @ 10:11 am
Solar power is the generation of electricity from sunlight. This can be direct as with photovoltaics (PV), or indirect as with concentrating solar power (CSP), where the sun’s energy is focused to boil water which is then used to provide power. …
Solar energy is non-polluting.Of all advantages of solar energy over that of oil, this is, perhaps, the most important. The burning of oil releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and carcinogens into the air.