Storing the Solar Panels Electricity
Solar panels need no time to convert sunlight into electricity. As soon as they receive photons from the sunlight electrons contained within the semiconductor will be activated by the photons energy and break the barrier, creating a flow of DC current. The electricity generating process is very straight forward and done quietly because there are no moving parts involved. They also emit zero by-products during the process.
While converting the sunbeam into electricity is easy, storing the electricity is totally a different story. Because the sun is only available during daylight we have to do something with the solar panels electricity otherwise there will be no electricity in the night.
There are two options available to store the electricity. The first option is having the solar electricity integrated with the grid of the utility company after being inverted to AC voltage. In most cases this is the best way to go solar. Why? Because you will store any extra electricity generated by your solar generator thru the grid. By doing this you are actually selling the electricity to the utility company. This is called net metering policy. Since the current is moving into the grid it will turn the counter backwards so you get some credits from the company. When there is no sufficient electricity produced your household will withdraw it from the grid. The main benefit of this system is you don’t have to buy solar batteries to bank the electricity. And because there is no battery at all you don’t need to do any maintenance. Solar batteries are expensive and may need maintenance depending on what type you purchase.
Although this option seems best suit your need and budget please note that there will be time when the grid power is down and at the same time your solar power generator does not produce any electricity, i.e. during dark or cloudy days. If the utility fails often in your area you may consider buying solar battery for emergency case like this.
Another option is to go off-grid totally, meaning you are disconnected from the power lines. Although it looks very ‘green’ and ideal this idea is not recommended if you are on tight budget, unless if you are living in e remote area which is not supported by the utility company. To go off-grid you have to provide batteries which are quite expensive. Off-grid solar panels electricity should ideally be accompanied by other electricity resources such as wind electricity or gas generator electricity. By doing this way you are securing yourself from being totally disconnected.
The SolarCost Admin
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