What’s your electricity bill look like?
Power companies bill with kilowatt-hours and the average American household uses about 10,649-kilowatt-hours of electricity a year. Depending on where you live, electricity can cost anywhere from 8 cents to 33 cents per kilowatt-hours. That means you could easily be paying over $3,000 a year, on electricity alone.
If you’re tired of paying high electricity bills, you might be considering installing solar panels on your home. However, before you make the jump, you’ll want to make sure you fully understand what solar panels are all about.
Solar panels: how do they work? Read on to find out!
The Photovoltaic Process
How do solar panels work? To understand how solar panels create energy, you’ll first need to grasp what the photovoltaic effect is. The photovoltaic effect the process solar panels use to turn the sunlight into an electrical current.
Creating an Electrical Current With Electrons
Occurring in solar cells, the photovoltaic effect joins 2 semiconductors together to produce an electric field. The electric field causes the negative and positively charged electrons to move in opposite directions. The movement from the electrons helps create an electric current in the photovoltaic cell of the solar panel.
You’ll want to look for professional solar panel installers, like the ones found on this site https://blueravensolar.com/south-carolina/columbia/. Having quality panels installed by a reputable company will help you avoid any issues, such as not having enough energy.
What Happens to Excess Energy?
When installed correctly, solar panels generally produce more energy than you’ll be able to use during daylight hours. What happens to the excess energy? It goes back into the power grid until it can be used by your household or someone else nearby. You can receive a credit for the excess energy your solar panel system produces.
How Do Solar Panels Work at Night?
If you ever need extra power at night, you can use your credit to draw power from the grid. There will be a 2-way meter that keeps track of all the energy you’re sending and receiving from the grid. The most likely time you’ll have lower energy levels are when the weather’s bad.
Solar Panels: How Do They Work During a Storm?
Solar Power panels: how do they work during a storm? While clouds don’t interrupt solar panels, rain and snow can affect their energy production. However, you’ll always have access to power with the help of the electricity grid.
Let the Sun Help You Save
Now you know the answer to the question, “Solar panels: how do they work?”. However, if you’re thinking about getting solar panels for your home, you probably still have a few questions about the installation process. To get all of the answers you’re looking for, reach out to a Solar Power panel company in your area today.
When you call, ask for a free estimate of your savings, as well as a quote for installing solar panels on your home. For more helpful insights into new tech and more, check out another one of our articles.
