What is Solar Energy and how it works?
“Solar” can refer to a few things, but most commonly, it refers to solar energy, which is the energy that comes from the sun. Here’s a breakdown:
Solar Energy:
The sun is a giant star that produces an incredible amount of energy through nuclear fusion. This energy radiates outwards in the form of light and heat. Solar energy is the process of capturing this light and heat and converting it into usable forms of energy, most often electricity.
Here’s how it generally works:
- Sunlight: The sun emits photons, which are particles of light.
- Solar Panels: Solar panels, also known as photovoltaic (PV) panels, are made up of materials that can convert photons into electricity. When sunlight strikes a solar panel, the photons transfer their energy to electrons in the panel’s material (usually silicon).
- Electricity Generation: This transfer of energy causes the electrons to flow, creating an electric current. This is the basic principle of how solar panels generate electricity.
- Inverter (Often): The electricity produced by solar panels is typically direct current (DC) electricity. Most homes and businesses use alternating current (AC) electricity. An inverter is a device that converts DC electricity from the solar panels into AC electricity.
- Usage or Grid Connection: The AC electricity can then be used to power homes, businesses, or other devices. In many cases, solar systems are connected to the electrical grid. This allows excess electricity generated by the solar panels to be sent back to the grid, and it allows the user to draw electricity from the grid when the solar panels aren’t producing enough (e.g., at night or on cloudy days).
Other Meanings of “Solar”:
- Solar System: This refers to the collection of planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and other objects that orbit the sun.
- Solar Thermal: This refers to technologies that use the sun’s heat for applications like heating water or air. This is different from solar panels that generate electricity.
So, when someone says “solar,” they’re usually talking about solar energy and the process of converting sunlight into electricity using solar panels.
