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Residential Solar Electric Power Systems Article
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Understanding How Solar Power Works In Homes
from: With energy costs on the upswing, many homeowners are wondering what solar power designs can do for them. The reality is these systems have come a very long way and can offset and even replace the need for a home to tap into electrical grids. Understanding how solar power systems work can explain why many are turning to this alternative form of energy to drive their home’s standard electrical systems.Although the exact specifications of a solar system will vary depending on a home’s unique needs and its positioning in regard to the sun, there are a few basic items that will generally go into the design. They include:
• The solar panels – Solar panels are the driving force behind a home energy system. They are generally placed on the roof of a home to gain maximum solar energy during the day. In some cases, the panels might be set up on a dish system that resembles a satellite dish. The function of solar panels is to absorb the sun’s energy and transform it into direct current electricity for further processing and use. Solar panels are generally designed using silicon for maximum efficiency.
• The inverter – This device is one of the most costly portions of a home solar power system. The inverter is responsible for taking the DC electricity generated by the solar panels and turning it into alternating current, or AC, power. AC is the type of electricity that most household systems and appliances run off of.
• A battery or batteries – To ensure that solar power systems can provide the necessarily electricity when the sun isn’t up, a series of batteries is typically included in the design. The batteries take the AC power created by the inverter and store it for use at a later time. How much or little energy a battery can store will depend on the system in use.
Solar power systems for home use are most commonly designed to offset electrical use in certain appliances. For example, it is quite common for people to use solar power systems to heat water for swimming pools or even showers and cleaning. It is also not uncommon for solar systems to power washing machines or refrigerators. In some cases, however, homeowners create more elaborate systems that enable homes to run entirely or almost entirely off of solar power.
Solar power systems can help homeowners offset the expenses involved in using regular electricity. How efficient a system is will depend a lot on the size of the collectors, or solar panels, the amount of sun exposure available and the efficiency of the inverter and batteries. Even a small system, however, can take some of the burden off the electrical grid and put money back in homeowners’ pockets.
Residential Solar Electric Power Systems News
Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, First Solar and Big Green Zero Energize Solar ... - MarketWatch (press release)
 PV-Tech | Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, First Solar and Big Green Zero Energize Solar ... MarketWatch (press release) (electrical equipment). The entire solar power system is engineered to provide maximum renewable energy with minimal impact. The ground-mounted First Solar PV system at Taliesin West is expected to generate more than 500 megawatt-hours per year of ... Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Powers Up Solar at Taliesin West First Solar donates 250kW PV system to Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation's ... First solar, Big Green Zero turn on solar at Taliesin West |
Navigating the smart grid transition smoothly - Intelligent Utility
 BBC News | Navigating the smart grid transition smoothly Intelligent Utility ... sources of energy, such as wind and solar, threaten their traditionally strong profiles of service reliability and availability and power quality. Given that utility electric power systems (EPS) were not initially engineered to link with active, ... Intersolar Europe 2012: New solutions for power storage and grid integration LATEST POWER STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES AT INTERSOLAR EUROPE 2012 Smart ICT for Energy Efficiency |
California Expands Rooftop Solar-Power Program - Wall Street Journal
 Los Angeles Times | California Expands Rooftop Solar-Power Program Wall Street Journal The plan, adopted by the California Public Utilities Commission, allows more homeowners and businesses that install their own solar-power systems to sell unused power to their utility. The program requires utilities to buy the power. California and New Jersey Utilities Top Annual List of 2011 Installed Utility regulators more than double California's solar power goal Full 2011 Utility Solar Rankings Report Now Available |
Solar Power to Cut High Electricity Costs at NJ Sawmill - GetSolar.com
 GetSolar.com | Solar Power to Cut High Electricity Costs at NJ Sawmill GetSolar.com A provider of commercial solar power systems, recently announced a 243-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system at Riephoff Sawmill was recently completed. The project marks another milestone for solar power in New Jersey, which is second only to California ... |
Sunrun Raises $60 Million to Boost Solar Installations - Bloomberg
 PV-Tech | Sunrun Raises $60 Million to Boost Solar Installations Bloomberg Sunrun Inc. has a message for homeowners who are contemplating going solar: It's cheaper and easier than you think. The provider of residential solar-power systems said today that it raised $60 million in funding, led by Madrone Capital Partners LP, ... Sunrun Closes $60M Equity Investment Sunrun raises $60 million for residential solar model |