5 Solar Power Facts and Photovoltaic Cells for Solar Panels

You have most likely heard quite a buzz about solar power over the years with products that at one time seemed impossible.

18:04 21 February 2013

Technology and the imagination have combined to create some truly amazing innovations in recent years from cars powered in part by solar power, to panels intended to be used on the average south-facing rooftop. Solar chargers for laptops and cell phones are now available and have been used in calculators for many, many years.

Here are just a few facts about photovoltaic cells and solar power:

 

●Photovoltaic (PV) cells are typically made from silicone

 

●Solar tiles can be used in place of ordinary tiles

 

●An electric field is created when sun shines over the PV cells

 

●Groups of PV cells are combined or grouped into more effective large panels

 

●Typically better efficiency from a solar energy system will be more costly initially, but could also save more in utility bills over the years

 

Photovoltaic cells are safe and a lot more durable than many people suspect. They’re a self-contained unit which means there are no moving parts to seize up. The larger panels which can be installed on watercraft or southern-facing rooftops are virtually maintenance free.

 

If you’re worried about an investment in solar power, and how long it will work, you can rest assured that many of these solar panels now last around 25 years. That means that you’re looking at utility bill reduction and increased property value if you decide to sell your home. 

 

There are many different benefits to using solar power, but it isn’t just an immediate benefit you receive in the form of reduced utility bills. Installing a solar panel system reduces your carbon emissions by roughly one tonne each year. That really makes a difference over the lifetime of the system. Then of course there’s the property value of your home. You’ll get some of your investment back during a sale, so it is a wise decision.