Capturing the sun’s energy and converting it into electricity is a clean and green source of power that is growing in popularity. Not only are buildings being fitted with solar panels, but many other devices and equipment are using solar power too.
You will see parking meters and street-lamps with solar panels fitted, and there are lots of ornamental garden items which are powered through the sun. You can get phone chargers that capture solar power to charge a phone, and the innovations just keep on coming.
So how exactly do solar panels work? Let’s find out!
From the Sun to a Solar Panel
Solar panels are photovoltaic which means they convert light into electricity at the atomic level. So, it all begins at the sun, which as a natural nuclear reactor releases energy in the form of photons. Some of these photons reach the earth which can then be converted into electricity. Theoretically, enough photons reach the earth in one hour to power the entire planet’s electricity needs for a year.
When the photons encounter a solar panel system, they enter the solar cells within the solar panels and disrupt the atoms that are inside. The electrons inside the atoms are then loosened by the arrival of the photons, which creates an electrical charge when the electrons move through a circuit.
How Solar Panels Create Electricity
The process of converting sunlight into electricity requires multiple solar cells usually encased in various types of glass packaging. The solar cells are usually made of silicon to act like semiconductors, and are designed with both a positive layer and a negative layer in order to generate an electric field.
Conductors attached to these positive and negative layers form an electrical circuit which the loosened electrons travel through. It is the electrons travelling around this circuit that generates electricity which can then be channelled into powering a building or device, or even stored in a battery.
How Are Solar Panels Installed?
Solar panels can be fitted on many different types of roofs, but exactly how they are fitted will be determined by the roof type. For example, a standard tile roof commonly seen in UK suburbs will require some tiles to be temporarily removed in order to attach the brackets. The tiles are then replaced and the rails that hold the solar panel system are attached to the brackets.
It is even easier to install solar panels on a flat roof as you only need a supporting framework to mount the panels on. The frame should be tilted in the direction that will maximise the amount of sun that hits the panels.
If you want to know more about how solar panels work or are thinking of investing in solar panels for a residential or commercial property, then contact Ecolectrix via the website, or you can email info@ecolectrix.co.uk or call our friendly team of experts on 03333444375.