In summary, a solar panel is just a device that takes the collection of sunlight and converts it into electrical energy or heat. More and more homeowners are wanting to become indepent of the grid and starting to implement a homemade solar panel. You can as well but proceed with caution. Electricity is dangerous. If you make the decision to support this trend, make sure your read our review about which homemade solar panel do-it-yourself kits are safe and tested.

The Concept of Solar Panels

Solar panels are also known as photovoltaic panels and the atoms that are present in these panels are excited by the action of the sun’s energy. There are two panels called protector panels. These atoms reside within two layers of protector panels.

A formation of electric current takes place as a result of the action of the electrons from the aforementioned, excited atoms, and these are then used by a myriad of external devices. Going back a few hundreds of years, you can find that solar panels were actually in use for the purpose of heating home water. Often, light is concentrated through a specifically shaped mirror and onto a tube of oil. Due to this action, there is a heating up of oil and as these heated oil travels through a vat of water, it instantly results in the boiling of this water. The steam resulting from the boiling process is then used to turn a turbine and generate electricity.

The History of Solar Panels

It was in the year 1839 that the photovoltaic effect was discovered by Antoine – Cesar – Becquerel, a French physicist. His study on this subject involved electrolyte cells made from two metal electrodes and placed in an electrolyte solution.

Becquerel discovered that when this device was exposed to sunlight there was a noticable increase in the amount of energy generated. The first working solar cell was created by Charles Fritts in 1883 when he applied a thin layer of gold to sheets of selenium. Over a period of time many experiment were conducted and discoveries were made when it came to solar cells. Albert Einstein also published his thesis on the photoelectric effect, during this time and also won the Nobel Prize for his research.

It was space satellites that made large scale use of solar electrical energy for the first time. By 1980, the United States of America, produced a solar cell which provided an efficiency of nearly twenty percent, this efficiency was increased to around twenty four percent in the next two decades and currently there are a few companies that are manufacturing solar cells that offer efficiency levels of nearly twenty eight percent

The Working of Solar Panels

Pure silicon forms the basic element of all solar panels as its makes for an ideal platform that aids transmission of electrons. This substance is applied on the plates that make up photovoltaic cells. It is also possible to create solar panels by merging silicon panels with other elements with either negative or positive charges.

The Silicon atoms are exposed to the bombardment of photons when negative plates of solar cells are faced towards the sunlight. Once all free electrons are drawn away from the plates, enough electricity is generated to power various electronic appliances that do not require too much electricity to power them.

Features and Types of Solar Panels

Basically there are three types of solar panels, namely mono-crystalline solar panels, polycrystalline solar panels, and amorphous solar panels. The average life expectancy for a solar panel is around 20 years but it can vary depending on the type of solar panel you select.

Solar panels do not require sustained maintenance for their upkeep although; if lead acid batteries are used then they must be checked every six months and topped up with distilled water if required. For those who are thinking of putting in a solar panel but are unsure of what size to go with, the easiest way to figure this out is to figure out your average daily consumption and base the size on your actual needs. This would give you a fair idea of what kind of solar panel to go for. In the long run, solar panels will reduce your electricity bill by a long way, and hence the option of using solar energy must be explored in a positive manner.

~Ralph Somers,

Moderator of Ralph’s Green Energy Guide