Solar energy works by capturing the sun's energy and turning it into electricity for your or .
Our sun is a natural nuclear reactor. It releases tiny packets of energy called photons, which travel the 93 million miles from the sun to Earth in about 8.5 minutes. Every hour, enough photons impact our planet to generate enough solar energy to theoretically for an entire year.
Currently photo voltaic power accounts for only of the energy consumed in the United States. But solar technology is improving and the , so our ability to harness the sun's abundance of energy is on the rise.
A 2017 report from the International Energy Agency shows that solar has become – marking the first time that solar energy's growth has surpassed that of all other fuels. In the coming years, we will all be enjoying the benefits of solar-generated electricity in one way or another.
How Do Solar Panels Work?
When photons hit a solar cell, they knock electrons loose from their atoms. If conductors are attached to the positive and negative sides of a cell, it forms an electrical circuit. When electrons flow through such a circuit, they . Multiple cells make up a solar panel, and multiple panels (modules) can be wired together to form a solar array. The more panels you can deploy, the more energy you can expect to generate.
SOLAR PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE
Solar panels make it so the sun can start working for you. Sunlight turns into usable electricity through the power of Photovoltaic solar systems.
There are 2 common ways of getting solar for a home, Purchase and Lease. Lease option is where a solar company will put "solar for free" and then sell the electricity it generates for a slightly lower amount than their electric company (not recommended and we don't help homeowners get solar this way because at the end of the day they are still just renting electricity when that same money can make it so they own it like they do their house). We help homeowners find out their purchase option and if it's economically feasible for them. 99% of homeowners that purchase solar get it for very little upfront to even zero out of pocket and the "solar bill" is about the same or less than what they were paying for electricity through their electric company so they start saving and making money right away.
How can they make and save money right away? What does that mean? Well, instead of throwing away money to rent electricity they are now investing in an electricity collector that they own. Also, it's usually purchased through a FIXED RATE payment plan meaning bill will be the same for a certain amount of years until system is fully owned and then customer pays nothing for electricity. Another thing is, solar adds value to a home. If you have the same exact house as your neighbor, but yours has a solar system, then the value of the system would increase the value of your home and be more appealing compared to your neighbor without solar.
Should I wait for when "the best" solar becomes available then? No because then you will be waiting forever. It's like choosing not to have a car because you are waiting for hover cars or jetpacks. Also, the more you wait, the more others in your area will go solar and use up the program funding AND the less profits your electric company will be getting and have to raise rates on existing customers like you to make up for the loss of profits.
