Solar Panels and Saving Energy

If you are looking for greener sources of energy then solar power is one serious option to consider. There are other options such as wind generation and passive heating and hydroelectric generator but for most homes and smaller business solar is one of the most realistic options.

Solar panels and solar power generates power from the sun by converting sunlight to electricity with no moving parts, zero emissions, and no or little maintenance. A solar panel is made up of a series of individual silicon cells that generate electricity from sunlight. As the light hits the surface of the solar panel the light particles produce an electrical current on the surface of small silicon wafers. One single solar cell produces around half a volt of energy.

Smaller solar panels can produce up to 12 volts of energy. These smaller panels contain an average of 36 solar cells. Large solar panels will produce up to 24 volts of energy. These will contain around 72 solar cells.
Solar panels can be wired together to create a bank of panels and increase the amount of energy you can harness. This gives the advantage of using a higher voltage output so the solar panels can use smaller wire to transfer the electric power from the solar panel to the output, charging batteries for example.

Solar panels come in different types. One is a Monocrystalline solar panels. These are most efficient but the most expensive solar panels made. The solar cells use very pure type of silicon and use a complicated growth process for the silicon crystals.

A type of solar panel is Polycrystalline. These are sometimes called Multi-crystalline solar panels and are made with Polycrystalline cells. This type of panel is less expensive and slightly less efficient than Monocrystalline cells.

This is because the cells are not grown in a large block of many crystals.
Amorphous solar panels are not really made from crystals like other types of panel. They are a thin layer of silicon coated on a base material such as glass or metal to create the solar panel. Amorphous solar panels can be cheaper than other alternatives but they are not as energy efficiency so more are needed to generate the same amount of energy as more expensive alternatives.

Solar panels can be a good investment to help you save money and save energy. There is an initial set up costs, which some may find expensive, but grants can help to offset this cost. Ultimately solar is a great solution to our energy needs and will help the environment and help reduce your energy bills.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/solar-panels-and-saving-energy-4222448.html
About the Author

Ian Richardson is an expert on solar panels Scotland and renewable and wind energy. For more information on solar panels and solar pv visit the www.absolutesolarandwind.co.uk and web site.
Author: ianrichardson