How is solar energy obtained

This example shows a battery powering a light bulb. The electrons move from the negative side of the battery, through the lamp, and return to the positive side of the battery. With AC alternating current electricity, electrons are pushed and pulled, periodically reversing direction, much like the cylinder of a car's engine.

Generators create AC electricity when a coil of wire is spun next to a magnet. Many different energy sources can "turn the handle" of this generator, such as gas or diesel fuel, hydroelectricity, nuclear, coal, wind, or solar. AC electricity was chosen for the U. However, solar panels create DC electricity. How do we get DC electricity into the AC grid? We use an inverter. A solar inverter takes the DC electricity from the solar array and uses that to create AC electricity.

Inverters are like the brains of the system. Along with inverting DC to AC power, they also provide ground fault protection and system stats, including voltage and current on AC and DC circuits, energy production and maximum power point tracking. Central inverters have dominated the solar industry since the beginning.

The introduction of micro-inverters is one of the biggest technology shifts in the PV industry. Micro-inverters optimize for each individual solar panel, not for an entire solar system, as central inverters do.

This enables every solar panel to perform at maximum potential. When a central inverter is used, having a problem on one solar panel maybe it's in the shade or has gotten dirty can drag down the performance of the entire solar array. Micro-inverters, such as the ones in SunPower's Equinox home solar system , make this a non-issue.

If one solar panel has an issue, the rest of the solar array still performs efficiently. Here's an example of how a home solar energy installation works.

First, sunlight hits a solar panel on the roof. The panels convert the energy to DC current, which flows to an inverter. The inverter converts the electricity from DC to AC, which you can then use to power your home. It's beautifully simple and clean, and it's getting more efficient and affordable all the time. However, what happens if you're not home to use the electricity your solar panels are generating every sunny day? And what happens at night when your solar system is not generating power in real-time?

Cool Facts Solar—powered school buses. A town in Wisconsin is using solar panels to charge hybrid electric school buses. Google maps for solar panels. If you live in San Francisco or Boston , you can see the solar panels in your neighborhood on a map.

How cool is this? In , China unveiled the first solar-powered air conditioner. If mass—produced, these devices could help reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in China and other countries. Solar joins the major leagues. Taiwan's National Stadium is being touted as the world's largest sports stadium.

When it's not in use, the stadium powers homes and businesses. A smart electric meter. On cloudy days and overnight, your solar shingles or panels may not be able to capture enough sunlight to use for energy; conversely, in the middle of the day when nobody is home, they may collect surplus energy—more than you need to operate your home. Your utility company will often provide credits for any surplus power you send back to the grid.

This is known as net metering. It may not be rocket science—but it definitely is human ingenuity at its best. Interested in solar roofing for your home? Explore our solar products or find a credentialed solar installer in your area. We use cookies to personalize and enhance your experience on our site.

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Solar energy can help to reduce the cost of electricity, contribute to a resilient electrical grid, create jobs and spur economic growth, generate back-up power for nighttime and outages when paired with storage, and operate at similar efficiency on both small and large scales. Solar energy systems come in all shapes and sizes. Residential systems are found on rooftops across the United States, and businesses are also opting to install solar panels.

Utilities, too, are building large solar power plants to provide energy to all customers connected to the grid. Learn more about the innovative research the Solar Energy Technologies Office is doing in these areas. In addition to this basic information about solar energy, you can find more solar energy information resources here.

Solar Energy Solar radiation is light — also known as electromagnetic radiation — that is emitted by the sun. Solar Radiation Basics.