solar energy systems Learn about the 3 different

Solar energy systems Learn about the 3 different solar energy systems that exist

Solar Energy Systems

Solar Energy Systems Within the list of renewable energies that generate electricity, solar energy is the one that has advanced the most in recent times in developed countries. The key to this growth is that the source of energy is one of the most abundant and simplest resources to take advantage of the sun.

The sun is in the sky every day. Every day it lights up and sends its heat to the planet through its rays. Therefore, photovoltaic energy is destined, in the not-so-distant future, to be responsible for the largest amount of electricity consumed on the face of the Earth.

How does Solar Energy Systems

The solar panels that can be seen more and more frequently everywhere absorb the energy of the sun's rays. Through a chemical process, these panels convert that light into volts. That energy will be stored in 12v batteries and then converted to usable 120v voltages.

The different solar technologies can be classified as passive or active. This separation is based on the way solar energy is captured, converted, and distributed.

Active technologies are those that use photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to collect the energy that reaches the planet from its closest star. Solar Energy Systems

Among the passive techniques, different techniques are governed by the rules of bioclimatic architecture. For example, the way to orient buildings facing the Sun. Or also the choice of materials with a favorable thermal mass or that have properties for light dispersion. And also, the design of environments through natural ventilation.

What are Solar Energy Systems panels?

Photovoltaic panels or modules are made up of a set of photovoltaic cells. These produce electricity from the light they receive on their surface through what is called the photoelectric effect.

Depending on the type of cell that the panel is made of, this fundamental element for generating electricity from solar energy can be:

Monocrystalline: These are Solar Energy Systems panels that are made up of sections of a single silicon crystal. These panels are easily detectable due to their circular or octagonal shape. Furthermore, if one closely observes the four short sides of the octagonal panels, one can see that they are curved since it is cut-out circular cell.

Polycrystalline: is when the solar panel or plate is made up of small crystallized particles.

Amorphous: this is the case when the silicon has not crystallized.

The effectiveness of these panels is greater the larger the crystals. However, other factors also play a role: weight, thickness, and cost.

The different connections to the central electrical network

off-grid 

These are the systems of solar installations completely disconnected from the electrical network. Off-gray systems are generally installed in isolated locations that do not have access to the main power grid.

Being completely isolated, these regions need to accumulate energy so that it can later be used when the sun no longer shines.

An off-grid system is made up of solar panels, controllers, inverters, and batteries with sufficient capacity to cover a calculated time of consumption without receiving power.

If as users we choose this photovoltaic solar system to power our home, we must bear in mind that it is the one with the highest cost due to the integration of batteries. In addition, the off-grid installations have larger dimensions to cover the possibility of several days without being able to generate energy due to bad weather conditions.

On-grid

On-grid systems are those that use solar panels and inverters that are mounted on the existing electrical network and contribute their products to it.

The great advantage of these types of installations in the short term is that they help achieve great savings in the cost of the bill. When the electrical production of our panels exceeds what is consumed by the home, the "excess" energy can be delivered to the main network to be used.

These systems, as they are connected to the network, do not need batteries. It is that when the panels do not produce energy, the home will use the traditional flow that it receives from the original electrical network.

This on-grid system has the advantage of its low cost and a much cheaper installation than in the case of off-grid systems. In addition, solar panels can be installed in different sections according to our needs and possibilities of time and money.

These systems do not work in the event of a power outage. Being connected to the main network, if a power outage is detected, for safety, the system will stop contributing its production.

hybrids

Hybrid systems are the worldwide trend in places with access to the network where it is desired to lower the costs of electrical energy.

A hybrid system combines the best of the two previous systems. For example, it incorporates the batteries to function as off-grid but takes advantage of the network as an on-grid installation.

A benefit that cannot be enjoyed in the off-grid system appears when there is an “excess” of generated energy. The surplus of energy production of the panels can be turned over to the existing electrical network to be used by other people.

An advantage over the off-grid system is that hybrid installations tend to be smaller. In this way, this system can be installed in small departments. But the main problem is economic: the inverters used have a higher cost than on-grid and off-grid inverters.

Tags: Solar Energy Systems