Understanding How the Best Solar Panels Actually Work in Practice

The US is now home to over three million solar photovoltaic (PV) system installations. Together, all those PV panels boast a capacity of 108.7 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity. That’s enough to deliver clean, green, and renewable power to 18.9 million homes in the nation.

So, if you haven’t gone solar yet, now’s the best time to do so. For one, the 26% federal tax incentive is still up for grabs until 2022. Thanks to that credit, you can invest in the best solar panels without worrying too much about their cost.

Before shelling out money for your solar PV system, though, it’s best to have an idea of how they work first. That way, you’ll also understand what makes PV panels most suitable for your needs.

We’ll discuss the basics you need to know about residential solar panels in this guide, so be sure to read on.

How Do Solar Photovoltaic Panels Work?

A single solar PV panel consists of numerous, smaller units known as solar cells. The kind of solar cells used in each panel, in turn, determines the type of the PV panel.

There are three basic cell types: monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film.

Regardless of the cell type, though, all solar panels work by absorbing photons. Photons are radiant solar energy particles containing varying amounts of energy.

The photon energy makes electrons within a solar cell detach from their atoms. Those dislodged electrons then travel to the front-most surface of the cell. Meanwhile, the cells’ backside or bottom layer features a positive charge.

Those negative and positive sides then create a voltage potential. That makes them much like the negative and positive terminals of a battery.

Metal conductive plates and wires then harness the voltage from the interconnected cells. At that point, the electrons can flow like any other form of electricity. However, the cells generate only direct current (DC) electricity, which you can’t use yet.

That’s why you need to connect your entire solar PV system to an inverter. It’s a device that converts DC electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity. AC electricity is the form of energy used by electrical grids and the one you use at home.

What Are the Best Solar Panels Then?

One way to determine the best solar panels to get for your home is to factor in their performance rating. Performance refers to the amount of sunlight a panel can convert into electricity. That amount then dictates how efficient the panel is.

The higher the performance, the more sunlight the panel captures. The more captured sunshine, the more energy it can then convert into electricity. You, in turn, will have more “free” energy to use to power your home and electronic devices.

With that said, monocrystalline panels are the highest performance solar panels available today. That’s because they have the highest efficiency rating of all panel types, ranging from 15% to 20%. By contrast, polycrystalline panel efficiency ranges from 13% to 16%.

Thanks to their impressive efficiency, you’d need fewer monocrystalline panels. That makes them even more appealing to homes with limited space, be it on the roof or the ground. For the same reasons, though, they’re currently the most expensive PV panels in the market.

As such, some homeowners on a budget often gravitate toward the polycrystalline type. Although their efficiency rating is lower than monocrystalline, they do cost less. However, they’re still more efficient than thin-film panels.

On the other hand, thin-film panels may be your best choice if you have a very tight budget. They’re the least-efficient panels, which is also why they’re the least expensive. You’d need more of these panels, though, so you must also have lots of sunny spots on your property.

Application and Location Matter, Too

Producing electricity for indoor usage is the top reason homeowners install PV panels. However, it’s not the only way to utilize solar; you can also use it for outdoor lighting or a backup energy source. In such cases, though, you need to consider factors other than the type of solar cell or panel.

Ingress Protection for Outdoor Lighting

Let’s say you want to get a solar light for flagpole illumination or exterior lighting. Since the solar device will sit outside, it must have adequate ingress protection (IP). An IP rating of 65 to 67 is ideal, as this means the light can resist high winds, rain, sleet, and snow.

Solar Battery or Generator for Energy Storage

In 2020, utility customers in the US experienced a whopping 1.33 billion outage hours. That’s up 73% from the outage hours they dealt with during the previous year.

For that reason, it’s wise to consider using PV panels to store solar energy into a battery for later use. In this case, the best solar panels are those compatible or integrated with a solar generator. That way, the energy produced by the panels gets stored in the generator’s battery.

You can then use the stored energy in the battery to power your home during an outage.

Portability for Solar On-The-Go

If you like outdoor activities such as camping or hiking, you’d love portable solar kits. Like standard PV panels, the ones solar kits use also generate energy from the sun.

A key difference is that solar kits come with thinner, smaller, and foldable panels. You then connect the panels with USB ports to a battery pack and set them up anywhere with lots of sunlight. From there, you can plug in a portable LED lamp for lighting or recharge your electronics.

Invest in Quality Solar Panels for Long-Term Renewability

As you’ve learned, the best solar panels are often those with high-efficiency ratings. However, don’t forget other factors, such as where and how you’ll use them and your budget, too.

As a final tip, make sure your local solar installer gives you a system warranty of at least 25 years. That way, you can rest assured it will provide you with clean and green power for the next two and a half decades.

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