Are you thinking of going off grid and want to know more about the different types of solar energy installation for the home?
Using renewable solar energy is a great way to power your home but it pays to know how to create the right system.
There are a number of ways that you can incorporate solar into your home, but which one is right for you?
We’ve listed the different types of solar energy installation for the home to give you a better understanding of the technology and how you can benefit from it:
Solar PV
This is the technology behind the solar panels that we’re all familiar with. Otherwise known as solar photovoltaic, this technology converts solar radiation in the form of sunlight directly into electricity.
A solar panel uses an array of PV cells to generate electricity through the use of semi-conductors. When the sunlight hits each PV cell, electrons are released and create an electric current that produces the power you need.
Roof top solar panels are an efficient and reliable system that will help you reduce your utility bills and generate free electricity.
Although solar panels don’t need a lot of maintenance, they do need some to make sure that they are generating at their maximum efficiency.
Most installers will offer a solar PV system service to keep your panels generating at maximum efficiency.
Solar Thermal
Unlike solar PV, solar thermal collects heat energy from the sun and uses it to heat your water and your home. Solar thermal is a non-polluting, renewable and low maintenance source of energy.
Using solar thermal panels to transfer warmth from sunlight into a heat transfer fluid that is then pumped around the system, doing away with the need to use gas or electricity.
Solar thermal is such a mature technology that Leonardo da Vinci used it to heat his hot water!
Solar Battery Storage
Whichever solar system you choose, you’ll need to add battery storage if you want to achieve true energy independence and become less reliant on the grid.
The most efficient battery systems use lithium ion technology, like the battery in your mobile phone, to convert and store the DC energy from your solar PV panels for use in the home as AC energy.
The higher the capacity of your battery, the more energy you can store and draw down at night when your solar panels aren’t generating electricity.
Another benefit is that you won’t be tied into sending your spare energy back to the grid.
By investing in a well balanced solar system using PV and thermal technologies, you can create the ultimate home energy generating system that is a clean and renewable way to meet all your heating and electricity requirements.
Add solar battery storage and you can become truly independent of the grid by managing your electricity flow yourself for greater economy, efficiency and environmental sustainability.