Solar Electric Panel – A Brief Overview of Common Types & the Inherent Energy Savings For Homeowners

Every solar electric panel system is naturally powered by the sun’s energy and converts that energy into electricity. Think about that for a moment and you will realize that you can create electricity utilizing a free and abundant source of energy. Free abundant energy means reducing dependency on foreign oil and helping to preserve the environment for future generations.

Solar electric panels use photovoltaic cells to capture the energy contained in the light from the sun and convert it to electricity. This conversion process results in energy losses and current solar panels have efficiencies up to twenty percent. This means that twenty percent of the available energy received is converted to electricity. The rest of the energy that strikes the solar panel is reflected in the form of light or is lost in various ways to heat.

Solar electric panels are made by mounting photovoltaic cells in a frame with a backing plate and a glass panel. The frame and backing plate protect the delicate photovoltaic cells and wiring connections from damage due to handling or inclement weather. The glass panel allows the sun’s energy to reach the photovoltaic cells while still protecting the cells from damage.

Some solar electric panels are flexible and are designed to fold up. Being able to roll or fold up a solar cell panel creates many new uses. Flexible solar cells are used by the military to power key communications equipment during field operations. These types of panels are also used by outdoor enthusiasts to charge laptops, cell phones and even gps batteries.

Most common solar electric panels are used in residential solar power systems. Residential solar energy electric power systems can be grouped into two types, on-grid and off-grid. On-grid systems connect to your power companies electric distribution grid while off-grid systems are completely stand alone and do not connect to the power company’s grid.

Many companies manufacture solar electric panels for residential and commercial use. Some of the larger companies even make special glass for use in large commercial buildings that generate electricity with embedded photovoltaic cells. Costs of commercially made panels can be high for many homeowners.

Homemade solar electric panels have become increasingly popular in recent years due to the demand for clean affordable energy sources. With the cost of factory built panels reaching more than $1000 each it is easy to see why homeowners are building their own panels. Building your own solar panel project can be fun and rewarding while helping you to significantly reduce your electric bill.

Solar electric panels produce electricity by converting the sun’s energy. They can help you save money while helping the environment by reducing the use of fossil fuels commonly used at large power generation plants. Solar panels can also be bought pre-manufactured and ready to install or can be built by anyone capable of using basic hand tools and following instructions. Electrician