Solar power FAQs

FAQs

FAQs

FAQs - freqently asked qestions about solar power

There is sufficient light, even on a cloudy day, for our solar panels to harvest the energy they need to generate electricity to power your home. In fact, we get so much diffuse solar radiation from our cloudy skies in the UK that we receive around 60% of the solar radiation found at the equator!
Accordingly, our panels will generate from sunrise to sunset. That means at the height of the British Summer you could get around 17 hours of free electricity every day.

Our solar panels work well in the winter even when the days are shortest. As soon as day breaks, the light is absorbed by the panels and they immediately start to generate electricity. The only thing that can inhibit the output from our panels is a snowfall that blocks the light, however, due to global warming this is a rare event of the British winter.

• What is Solar PV?

• Solar PV panels or modules are made up of specially coated Silicon cells. As light falls on these silicon cells electrons move around very quickly from one side of the silicon to the other which creates an electrical current. The more cells there are the more current is generated. When the right number of modules is linked together enough voltage is created to match the system voltage with the mains or the grid.

• How does PV work?

• Simply, the electricity generated by the PV panels is converted from DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current) by an inverter and connected to your electrical unit. The electricity will go to wherever it is needed to power your household appliances. When there is more electricity being generated than is needed it will flow out through an export meter into the grid to be used by others. The meter records the exported electricity and the exported units can be sold to a number of electricity supply companies.

Solar Electric PV Systems in UK Solar Electric PV Systems work extremely well in the UK. Their performance increases significantly in cooler conditions, with efficiencies dropping markedly in hot countries are solar facts.

Modern PV systems perform well in cloudy conditions, absorbing Ultra Violet light from the sky. A PV System fitted on a flat roof will generate 90% of the energy generated by an ideally located system that is South facing and angled at 30º.

FAQs – Solar Wealth

• Can Solar PV panels add value to your property?

• Solar PV panels can add value to your home because to any potential buyer looking to purchase your home they will have gained from a installed system without the need to outlay the installation cost of the PV system and since the maintenance is virtually non existent the savings are self evident.

  A solar system adds value to your home while lowering your energy bills, as well as protecting you from increasing energy prices. Your home will receive several forms of financial benefits from the introduction of Solar Photovoltaic. You will receive electricity at no cost for at least 25 years, but with systems typically lasting 40 - 50 years, this can be considered as its saving. UK domestic electricity currently costs approximately 14 pence per unit, but is forecast to increase by up to 60% per unit in the next 10 years alone.

FAQs about Solar energy

• Why go solar?

• Because solar energy is clean and renewable. It is not lowers the cost of your electricity bills, but also reduces the negative impact on the environment. What’s more, photovoltaic (PV) modules have no moving or wearing parts, and require no maintenance other than an occasional cleaning.

• What are the benefits of solar power?

• PV technology brings many benefits. It’s a quiet, clean source of energy, is reliable requiring minimal maintenance, and lasts for decades. It is not only competitive with other sources of energy in terms of costs, but directly contributes to reduction in greenhouse gases. What’s more, it’s an affective back-up power source in case of emergencies.

• What are photovoltaics?

• Photovoltaic technology (PV) are solar cells system that convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV modules consist of semiconducting material that absorbs sunlight in a way that frees electrons from atoms. Electricity is produced as the electrons flow through the semiconducting material. A group of PV modules are typically combined in an array to generate electricity for a single structure. Large numbers can be combined to form a power plant.

• How do PV modules convert sunlight into electricity?

• It work by the photovoltaic phenomenon, in which semiconducting material such as silicon produce an electric current when exposed to sunlight. Metal contact on the top and bottom of the PV cell allow the current to be drawn off for external use.

• Are there any effects other than producing electricity?

• A heat shielding effect can be anticipated, with an associated reduction in air-conditioning load in the heat of summer.

• How are watts (W) different from watt hours (Wh)?

• Watts are units of power measured over one second. If one watt of electric power is used for one hour, the total volume of power consumed is expressed as one watt hour, or 1Wh. Similarly, 1,000 watts of power is expressed as one kilowatt (1kW) and 1,000 watt hours as one kilowatt hour (1kWh). If a 2kW system produces power continuously for five hours, the total volume of power generated is expressed as 10kWh.

• Do PV modules work on cloudy or rainy days?

• PV modules produce power anytime the sun is out. On cloudy days power output is considerably reduced.

• What happens if the PV module is blocked by leaves?

• If fallen leaves, shadows or the like cover a PV module, resistance increases at the affected area and overall power output decreases significantly. Many PV modules incorporate a Bypass Diode function that minimizes the effect of shadows on the unit’s surface area.
•  

• Does PV work well in cold weather?

• As photovoltaics generate electricity from light, not heat, PV technology is highly suitable for cold weather environments, on the whole even generating more power at lower temperatures. This is because they are electronic devices, and like all electronic devices operate more efficiently at cooler temperatures.

• Does the PV module surface require cleaning?

• In most residential areas no cleaning is necessary, as rainfall will remove the majority of grime.

http://actonsolarpower.com/faqs