{"id":2580,"date":"2020-10-26T10:00:26","date_gmt":"2020-10-26T18:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/?p=2580"},"modified":"2023-04-24T22:26:59","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T06:26:59","slug":"how-solar-energy-works","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/how-solar-energy-works\/","title":{"rendered":"How Solar Energy Works?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/how-solar-energy-works\/#What_exactly_is_solar_energy\" >What exactly is solar energy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/how-solar-energy-works\/#How_does_solar_energy_work_step_by_step\" >How does solar energy work step by step<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/how-solar-energy-works\/#Watch_the_Video_About_How_Solar_Energy_Works\" >Watch the Video About How Solar Energy Works<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/how-solar-energy-works\/#How_solar_panels_work_step_by_step\" >How solar panels work step by step<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/how-solar-energy-works\/#What_if_the_solar_energy_is_not_enough_for_lighting_up_my_place\" >What if the solar energy is not enough for lighting up my place?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/how-solar-energy-works\/#What_if_my_solar_panel_produces_more_power_than_I_normally_use\" >What if my solar panel produces more power than I normally use?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/how-solar-energy-works\/#A_few_notes_on_the_advantages_of_solar_energy\" >A few notes on the advantages of solar energy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Have you ever wondered about those panels on the rooftops or the backyards and thought \u201cabout how solar energy works?\u201d In this article from Linquip, you will find all your answers about solar energy and solar panels. After reading this, you may consider switching to using solar panels for your home and office! Are you ready to know more? Then continue reading\u2026<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_exactly_is_solar_energy\"><\/span><strong>What exactly is solar energy?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Solar energy is considered a type of fuel. This fuel is powered by the sun and therefore it\u2019s one of the most efficient types of fuel that is renewable and a never-ending source. We use sunlight with the help of our solar panels.<\/p>\n<p>Many people wonder \u201cHow is solar energy converted into electricity?\u201d when they think about how solar energy works.<\/p>\n<p>Solar photovoltaics that is also called PV, is the conversion of sunlight into electricity.<\/p>\n<p>By the use of semiconducting material, the photovoltaic effect takes place. This phenomenon causes the photons that are located inside an atom to set the electrons free from the atom, resulting in a flow of electricity. And that\u2019s your answer to \u201cHow is solar energy produced?\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_does_solar_energy_work_step_by_step\"><\/span><strong>How does solar energy work step by step<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>For solar energy to work, you need to capture the sunlight and put it to use. How? By using solar panels! The electrons, as we described above, should be separated from the atom to create solar electricity. This process happens with the help of solar panels.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2582 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/how-solar-energy-works-2.jpg\" alt=\"how solar energy works \" width=\"700\" height=\"393\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/how-solar-energy-works-2.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/how-solar-energy-works-2-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/how-solar-energy-works-2-696x391.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Watch_the_Video_About_How_Solar_Energy_Works\"><\/span><strong>Watch the Video About How Solar Energy Works<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VWl06KPBizI?t=1s\" width=\"560\" height=\"314\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_solar_panels_work_step_by_step\"><\/span><strong>How solar panels work step by step<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Multiple PV cells in solar panels are linked together to create a solar panel. The basic ingredient for creating a panel is usually silicon. These panels are inserted in a place that can capture sunlight to do the process with the help of photovoltaic cells. They convert the energy from the sunlight into direct current (also known as DC) which is the electricity needed for different purposes. This is almost a simple explanation of how solar energy works. But then there is an inverter that converts direct current into alternating current (also known as AC) to create the electrical current that we normally use to power up the place and the desired appliances.<\/p>\n<p>There are a few steps that show how solar panels work:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Capturing Sunlight<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>PV cells, as you already know, capture the sunlight to turn it into solar electricity. But since it results in producing direct current or DC, an inverter has been designed to convert it into AC. This is where step 2 comes into play.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Converting DC into AC<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Two types of inverter are used for solar panels. One of them is a string inverter (also known as a single inverter) and the other is a micro-inverter that is connected to the back of these panels. The DC produced by solar panels is converted to AC or alternating current with the help of these inverters. So, if you are wondering \u201chow do solar panels work for your home?\u201d this is the electricity that we use for powering our home.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Using the produced power<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>That is how solar energy works so you don\u2019t need to worry about how to use the produced energy. Once the setup is up and running with the help of an expert, the produced electricity will light up your house and powers your appliances.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_if_the_solar_energy_is_not_enough_for_lighting_up_my_place\"><\/span><strong>What if the solar energy is not enough for lighting up my place?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You don\u2019t need to worry about not getting enough electricity from your solar panels. If your solar panels can\u2019t cover all your electricity needs, you can still use your traditional power grid. Your appliances automatically use the grid to enable you to draw more energy from your utility.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_if_my_solar_panel_produces_more_power_than_I_normally_use\"><\/span><strong>What if my solar panel produces more power than I normally use?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Now you know how solar energy works, but what happens when there\u2019s extra power produced by your panel? The leftovers of your solar electricity will go to the grid! That\u2019s right! When you keep your traditional power grid while using solar panels, you can have the advantage of saving the extra power produced by the panels in the grid. You will use as much as you like and the extra power goes to your power company to use. You already know that they work by capturing sunlight; but when the night comes and there\u2019s no sun in the sky, or cold seasons when the days are shorter and the nights are longer and most of the days are cloudy rather than sunny, you still need the power to keep you going. That\u2019s when the excess solar power comes in handy.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Keep in mind that even when it\u2019s cloudy and clouds are blocking the sun, your <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Solar_panel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">solar panels<\/a> still produce power, the only difference is in the amount of power they produce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_few_notes_on_the_advantages_of_solar_energy\"><\/span><strong>A few notes on the advantages of solar energy<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Using solar energy can save you money in the long run by sending excess energy back to the grid.<\/li>\n<li>You can also store the extra energy on a solar battery to use it whenever you want, however you want. You can easily use this extra energy when there\u2019s an outage or when it\u2019s cloudy out there.<\/li>\n<li>Solar panels are really durable and last for a long time, so as long as there\u2019s a sun to shine in the sky, you\u2019ll probably have your panels to produce the necessary energy. They may break or need repairing (or in some case, replacing) but with the right maintenance, they last up to 30 years!<\/li>\n<li>Another advantage of using solar energy is that you don\u2019t need to go through so much to keep it coming! The only regular maintenance is for you to keep your solar panels free of debris, snow, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That was all there is to know about how solar energy works and all the basics you needed to know about solar panels. Do you think soon everyone will be switching into using solar energy by the use of solar panels? Comment below and let us know what you think. And if you have any questions, feel free to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/sign-up?client_redirect=\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sign up on Linquip<\/a> and our experts will be right with you to answer all your questions.<\/p>\n<h3><b>Buy Equipment or Ask for a Service<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>By using Linquip RFQ Service, you can expect\u00a0to receive quotations from various suppliers across multiple industries and regions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/linquip.com\/get-quote?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=product_list&amp;utm_term=product_list&amp;utm_content=rfq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click Here to Request a Quotation From Suppliers and Service Providers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Read More on Linquip<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a title=\"A Concise Introduction to Solar Hybrid Power Systems\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/solar-hybrid-power-systems\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A Concise Introduction to Solar Hybrid Power Systems<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a title=\"Efficiency of Solar Panels\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/efficiency-of-solar-panels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-schema-attribute=\"\">Efficiency of Solar Panels<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a title=\"Which Type of Solar Panel Is the Best?\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/which-type-of-solar-panel-is-the-best\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Which Type of Solar Panel Is the Best?<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a title=\"Types of Solar Panels: A Simple Guide Assisting You to Have Better Choice\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/types-of-solar-panels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Types of Solar Panels: A Simple Guide Assisting You to Have Better Choice<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a title=\"Disadvantages of Solar Energy and Why You Need to Know Them\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/disadvantages-of-solar-energy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Disadvantages of Solar Energy and Why You Need to Know Them<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a title=\"Advantages of Solar Energy and Why You Should Switch Into Solar Panels\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/advantages-of-solar-energy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Advantages of Solar Energy and Why You Should Switch Into Solar Panels<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a title=\"Beginner\u2019s Guide To The Difference Between Solar Energy And Wind Energy\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/difference-between-solar-energy-and-wind-energy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Beginner\u2019s Guide To The Difference Between Solar Energy And Wind Energy<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-distributed-generation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is Distributed Generation? (Clear Guide) + PDF<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever wondered about those panels on the rooftops or the backyards and thought \u201cabout how solar energy works?\u201d In this article from Linquip, you will find all your answers about solar energy and solar panels. After reading this, you may consider switching to using solar panels for your home and office! Are you &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2581,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-renewable-energy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2580"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29096,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2580\/revisions\/29096"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}