How To Live Sustainably With Solar Energy

Watt A watt is a unit of power, and power is the rate at which energy is produced, implemented or consumed. Watts are a measure of electrical flow from one device to another. Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Photovoltaic  (PV) devices, such as solar panels, take sunlight and turn it into electricity that you can use in your home. It was made from silicon, a material derived from sand that is naturally photovoltaic. Solar Cell A solar cell is a device that converts sunlight into electricity using certain materials with semiconducting properties, like silicon. These materials use the “photovoltaic effect.” That means that when light hits a material like silicon, it knocks tiny electrons loose; when those electrons start to flow, that produces electricity. Solar Inverters A solar inverter converts the electricity from your solar panels into power that can be used by the plugs in your house for your TV, computer, and other wired products. Panels can’t create AC power by themselves; they ...

Continuation... **Steps** 8. Choose a charge controller. The charge controller should be compatible with the particular chemistry (lead-acid, gel cell, NiMH, etc.), capacity, and number of batteries you're using. You may want one that is suitable for the batteries you now have, and a few more also, because the charge controller is relatively inexpensive and durable and room to grow is convenient. Some important features are protection against overcharging, deep discharge, and excessive rate of charge and discharge. It's generally safe to assume that an all-in-one device has an acceptable general type of charge controller and that the other components can't charge or discharge the battery too quickly, but deep discharge protection is important for a device with a lead acid (including gel cell) battery. 9. Choose an inverter (for a power system only). Check the waveform type it produces; "true sine wave" (a smooth wave, like a mechanical generator makes) is be...

Continuation... **Steps** 5. Choose system components that meet your current needs and make the best use of each other. The cheaper parts, such as the batteries, should have enough capacity to make full use of the more-expensive parts, such as the solar cells. If you're buying an all-in-one device, check that the compromises its components reflect are reasonable: any missing capabilities or reduced durability should be acceptable and compensated for with a significantly lower price and/or (if convenience is important) weight. **Avoid vendor lock-in. Make sure major system components follow design and compatibility standards not limited by any particular manufacturer. For instance, they should work at voltages and with connection types many charge controllers and appliances accept. 6. Choose solar panels . There are several types of solar cells that vary in efficiency per unit area and tendency to decay over time. But, unless you're buying so many that having enough ...