Our Day Star
It all starts with our day star, the Sun. Formed over 4.6 billion years ago, our Sun uses a process known as
nuclear fusion in order to create energy. This is a process in which 600 million tons of hydrogen are fused into helium every second.
The Sun outputs 1,368 W/m (watts per meters squared) of energy at a distance of 1 astronomical unit (AU).
This is approximately the distance from earth to the
Sun and therefore about the same amount of energy
exerted onto a square meter by sunlight.
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Telescopic Image Of the Sun
Solar Panels
Cluster of Photovoltic Cells
Solar panels are made by several different manufacturers and while they may sport different specs and prices, almost all of them operate using the same structure.
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Solar panels utilize photovoltaic cells in order to absorb energy from sunlight. This is achieved by using semiconductors to interact with photons from sunlight which induces a DC electric current.
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In order to convert the incoming DC current to the AC standard utilized by most appliances, the panels utilize a solar inverter.
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The energy generated by the panel is distributed throughout the connected area, and excess energy could be fed back into the electric grid. This saves you money by having the electric company compensate you for energy you aren't using.