Facts about solar panels are good to know when considering solar power for either a solar powered generator or for going completely off the grid. Here are some of the basics you should know about solar power.
When light hits silicon, the electrons within are stimulated and make
Connect a copper wire to a silicon cell, expose the cell to light, and
you have a usable current of electricity that can charge a battery.
But silicon is hard to grow, and for years solar panels were a costly investment.
A homeowner couldn't think of going off the grid without investing
thousands of dollars upfront, leaving solar energy to the realm of movie
stars and the very wealthy.
Fortunately for us ordinary folks, things have changed for the better in the past few years. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory found a way to produce solar cells out of copper indium gallium selenide, also known as CIGS. This material absorbs sunlight in a powerful way, and only a thin film of silicon is needed to conduct electricity. Less silicon in a solar panel means a lower cost, making solar panels affordable for just about anybody.
A solar panel harnesses energy from the sun, but you need to harness that energy from the solar panel as well. Here are some of the other pieces of equipment you need to get electricity from the solar panel and into your home.
Now that you know the equipment you need to harness energy from the sun, you are likely wondering where you can find these pieces of equipment. Fortunately, you can make a solar powered generator for $300 or less (you can learn more here). Here are some tips on where to find the equipment you need.
One of the crucial facts about solar panels is you need a solar panel for it all to work. Solar panels will produce different amounts of watts depending on the number of silicon cells it has. Generally, the more wattage it can produce, the more expensive the solar panel will be.
You can find solar panels for sale on eBay, and also on Amazon (find the solar panels here).
Charge controllers are available in all price ranges and capacities, as are inverters. You can purchase both of these items from Wal Mart, Amazon or eBay.
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