How Does Solar Energy Work

Solar panels work by absorbing sunlight with photovoltaic cells, generating direct current (DC) energy and then converting it to usable alternating current (AC) energy with the help of inverter technology. AC energy then flows through the home’s electrical panel and is distributed accordingly

Basic Steps in Solar Energy Generation and Transmission.

1. Sunlight hits the solar panels, and creates an electric field.
2. The electricity generated flows to the edge of the panel, and into a conductive wire.
3. The conductive wire brings the electricity to the inverter, where it is transformed from DC electricity to AC, which is used to power buildings.
4. Another wire transports the AC electricity from the inverter to the electric panel on the property (also called a breaker box), which distributes the electricity throughout the building as needed.
5. Any electricity not needed upon generation flows through the utility meter and into the utility electrical grid. As the electricity flows through the meter, it causes the meter to run backwards, crediting your property for excess generation.

Now that we have a basic idea of the generation and flow of solar electricit

Photovoltaic Processes (PV)
Photo voltaic processes happen with PV devices, which take the sunlight and make it into electricity.
PV processes use materials that are known for naturally changing sunlight into electricity, which are known in the science world as semiconductors.
When the sunlight hits these semiconductors, they produce electrons, which are pushed through the device and make a current.
PV devices are still in development at this point in time; some rays of light, including UV and infrared, cannot be utilised by PV devices. This can be problematic when the sun is not shining brightly and these are the main rays that are being produced.





Solar Heating and Cooling (SHC)
Solar heating and cooling (SHC) is all about thermal energy.
The energy that is created from the sun is switched into energy that can be used to either heat or cool the devices that are being powered.
At this point, there are processes that can help in almost any context that you can imagine, from commercial buildings to homes.
The main reason that solar heating and cooling devices are necessary is because we need to reduce our dependence on natural gases and other fossil fuels.
Technology in the SHC sector is always changing and adapting, and advances are being made in this area of science every single day.

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)







Concentrating solar power, usually referred to as CSP, are some of the newest technologies that are out there, even though the concept is not as new as many think it is. People have used the concept behind it for a very long time, which is why it’s shocking that it’s taken so long for us to actually harness it on a larger scale.
Mirrors are the main focus of CSP plants; they concentrate the energy from the sun to cause everything to work effectively. Without the mirrors, CSP systems would not work as effectively as some of the other systems that are currently out on the market today.
The sun’s energy then makes steam engines and turbines go so that the electricity can be produced and stored. This makes it different than the other types because the storage system is a lot more advanced than what you see from the other types of solar energy that are currently being used.
Currently, there are just over 1500 different CSP plants located throughout the entire United States; there are over 400 more to be planned within the next 5 years. By the 2020’s, the plan is to have over 3000 CSP’s working throughout the country, with over 5000 throughout the entire world.