Which Solar Energy System Is Best For You?
Are you considering using solar power to supply energy to your home or recreational vehicle? You might be surprised to find out how many different types of solar powered electrical systems there are.
Did you know that solar power can be harnessed to supply needed electrical energy to recreational vehicles as well as homes and commercial buildings?
Let’s say you would like to use solar power for your recreational vehicle. You might even want to use it for a vacation cabin out in the wilds of nature. If this is the type of use that interests you, you’ll need a small system that can stand by itself. You’ll be glad to learn that these types of systems are economical. That’s because they don’t use as many panels or batteries as a larger system would use.
All stand-alone systems need batteries since they store energy that’s collected by the panels during the daytime when the sun is shining. However, you will need an inverter to turn the 12 volt DC power provided by the batteries into the type of power used by most appliances. That type of power is called 120 volt AC power.
If you want to use solar energy for your home and if you’re already connected to a utility company’s power supply, you’ll probably want to use the grid-tie system. With this system you’ll be able to alternate between using solar power and the power your utility company provides. One advantage of using solar power plus your electrical company’s power is that you’ll probably save money. Also, in case you don’t get enough energy from your own solar panels, you’ll be able to have your utility company’s power supply at your disposal in case of an emergency. You might even get tax breaks and rebates if you have your own solar power.
To get the advantages that come from using your utility company’s energy as well as your solar power panels, you’ll need a special inverter. It’s job is to change the DC current into the purest sine wave AC electricity so it can be compatible with your power company. When the weather is bad and your solar panels aren’t producing enough electricity, just switch to your electrical company’s power.
In case you don’t want to be connected to any electrical company at all to provide electricity for your home, you’ll want a system that can stand all by itself. This type of stand-alone system is more complicated than other systems. That’s because you’ll need more inverters - probably two of them. For example, air conditioners use a lot of power. Another reason you need more than one inverter is that if one goes down, you’ll have another one to use.
These stand-alone systems are good if you live in areas not supplied by power companies, such as in an out-of-the-way country home. This type of solar power system is also a lot more expensive than other systems since there are more solar panels. You’ll also need to keep a lot of batteries on hand to deal with any situation that might come up where you need more power.
If you choose a hybrid system, you’ll need to purchase a generator as a backup. This could be a diesel generator, a gasoline generator, or a propane generator.
As you can see from this article, there are several choices available to you if you want to start using solar power to enhance your lifestyle.
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Tags: energy, solar panels, solar energy