Facts »

  • About 30% of a family's energy budget is used to heat water.
  • A Solar hot water system can replace 50% to 80% of those energy costs.
  • Solar Energy is measured in kilowatt-hours. 1 kilowatt = 1000 watt, which means 1kilowatt-hour (kWh) = the amount of electricity required to burn a 100 watt light bulb for 10 hours.
  • A 1-kilowatt home solar system will prevent approximately 170 lbs. of coal from being burned, 300 lbs of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere and 105 gallons of water from being consumed each month!
  • Relying on a battery backup, a solar energy system can provide electricity 24x7, even on cloudy days and at night.
  • Solar panels come in various colors.
  • More solar energy falls on the earth in one hour than the entire population uses in one year.
  • Over the last 20 years the cost of solar energy systems has come down seven fold. As the demand for these systems rise and manufacturing volume increases, costs will decrease and the economic payback time will also decrease.
  • Monthly average residential consumption of electricity in the US in 2011 was 920 kilowatt hours. (Source: US DOE)
  • Albert Einstein won his Nobel Prize for his work on the photoelectric effect in 1921.
  • A world record was set in 1990 when a solar powered aircraft flew 2,523 miles across the USA, using no fuel.
  • Electric ovens consume the most amount of electricity, followed by microwaves and central air conditioning.
  • $83,000 - that's the amount that one Air Force base in Nevada saves per month after installing a solar energy array on site.
  • While the US has 3,900% more sunlight than Germany, the smaller European country has 6,000% more solar energy.
 
 

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How Solar Electric Works

Solar panels produce electricity when sunlight strikes the photovoltaic cells on a solar panel. Photovoltaic cells are silicon wafers that capture the photons from the sun’s light. The sun’s energy then travels through cables to the inverter which converts the energy from DC (direct current) power to AC (alternating current) power, which then feeds into your fuse box, and powers your home. The reason DC power must be converted to AC power is because AC power functions on a low voltage and is therefore safe to use within your home. Most systems have remote monitoring so you can be aware of how much power your solar panels are producing at any given moment. There are two types of PV systems:

 

Grid-tied Power

This is the most commonly used system. By connecting solar panels through your electric meter to the local electric company’s power grid, you gain a flexible way to draw and off-load power. When you produce more power than your home needs, your excess electricity flows into the local grid, turning your electric-meter backwards to earn you credits. When you need additional power, you draw power back from the grid, turning your electric meter forward and utilizing your credits. No batteries are needed for this type of system.

 

Off-grid, Hybrid System

This system is commonly used in remote areas where conventional utility-supplied power is out of reach. Off grid systems can make your home into your personal power plant. This system is also used for equipment which needs electricity to run, but may not be connected to the grid. For example, Water pumps or wells, remote monitoring systems,signs and signals, street lights, and communication. Batteries are needed for off-grid systems so as to provide power when the sun may be down or blocked. These systems provide power 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.