Solar Power

The Science of How Solar Power Generators Work   by Jason Smith

Solar Power is free if you have the right hardware set up, but you need to know how solar power generation operates to establish a proper plan.

A solar power generator changes photons produced by the Sun and converts them into usable DC electricity. If you want a truly operational system, you must include a battery bank and an inverter to utilize the electricity in a form that we use every day.

Our buildings and equipment run on AC power. Alternating Current, not Direct Current, is what we depend upon the most. To alter DC into AC an inverter is used. The inverter changes the electrical power and creates normal AC current for use on every appliance you use normally.

The battery bank is used to store the DC electricity that is captured by the photovoltaic cells of your Solar Panels. The batteries are mostly standard car batteries hold 12V and depending on the size can produce “X” number of Amps for an hour. The bigger and more costly the battery, the more Amp-Hours you get.

Basically, you can picture a solar power generator as a series of different equipment that alter sun light into usable electricity: the solar cells convert the sunlight into DC electricity, the DC electricity charges the battery bank, when you need the power, the inverter taps the battery array and delivers AC electricity to you.

In most cases a solar power generator is pictured as operating small appliances like camping stoves, outdoor lighting and is sometimes used in emergency backup situations. However, there are very large solar power generators that can supply a significant amount of power to commercial enterprises. These larger systems have been used to power nearly all of a Haiti hospital, they have been used to establish emergency power generation in disaster zones and they have found further applications in small island villages.

Whether you are trying to find a Green solution to electrical power or trying to supplement inadequate power for your needs, a solar power generator may be a possibility. Even using this technology on an industrial roof top could provide significant power to run refrigeration and lighting. Therefore, if you believe a solar power generator is a possibility for your application, consult an experienced professional.

Especially if you’re alternative energy need is for industrial and commercial use, experienced engineers can help you establish the bottom line for such a project and make sure you get the right system designed for your needs now and into the future.

About the Author

Jason Smith is a writer-advocate for solar power generator, alternative energy sources, water purification systems and more engineering topics (click the link to find out more). Smith helps small municipalities and island nations find the right fit for their basic needs in terms of water, electricity and renewable energy.
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