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Every day, the sun showers the earth with enough energy to meet the world’s power needs many times over. But how, exactly, are sunbeams transformed into useful electricity?
When sunlight hits an object, the energy usually turns into heat. But when sunlight hits certain materials, the energy can be transformed into an electrical current, which we can harness for power. The diagram below gives you a pictorial view of how this happens.
(1) Photovoltaic (PV) Panels – A PV cell consists of two or more thin layers of semi-conducting material, usually silicon. When the silicon is exposed to sunlight, it generates an electrical charge that can be conducted into direct current (DC) by metal contacts. The electricity produced by a single cell is small, so multiple cells are connected together to form a panel.
(2) Direct Current into Inverter – The electrical charge or Direct Current (DC) travels from the panels to the Inverter.
(3) Inverter – A device that converts Direct Current (DC) into Alternating Current (AC).
(4) Alternating Current out of Inverter – The inverter converts the Direct Current into Alternating Current, which you can use throughout your home/facility.
(5) PV System Output Meter – The meter will keep track of how much energy your system has generated and how much energy your facility has used.
(6) PV System Disconnect Switch – This allows you to disconnect the PV panels from the system in order to troubleshoot problems.
(7) Distribution Panel – Contains the circuit breakers for your home.
(8) Main Utility Meter – This connects your solar electric system to the main energy grid.
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