When solar panels were first introduced, people dreamed of powering a normal household with free energy from the sun, but solar technology was in its infancy, and comfortable and affordable living on solar and wind power was still the stuff of science fiction. However, over the last thirty years technology has improved, costs have come down, and reality has finally caught up to fiction.
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Today, energy efficient lights and appliances, versatile and efficient inverters and major advances in solar panel technology have made solar living a very viable choice for the house or cabin buyer.
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How it Works: Solar power uses photovoltaic panels to convert the sun's light to electricity. Each solar panel has a power output that is rated in Watts. This rating is multiplied by the amount of solar radiation received to give you the amount of energy in kWh that is produced. The number of panels that you need depends on how much energy you use and how much sunshine you receive.
Where it Works Best: Solar panels work best in locations that receive lots of direct sunshine. You will need a sunny south-facing location for your solar panels. A south facing expanse of roof with no shading from trees or other buildings is ideal. If you don't have a suitable south facing roof the solar array can be pole mounted near the house.
How to Size a System: The number of panels that you need depends on how much energy you want to use - the more energy use use, the more panels you will need.The direct current (dc) solar power must also be converted to alternating current (AC) household power by an inverter. The size and style of the inverter is also determined by the amount of energy that you want to use. Take a look at our Load Calculator page to figure out how much energy you use. |
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The initial costs for a solar power system can be drastically reduced by first conserving power.
Any power that you save, you will not have to produce, convert or store.
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