| Solar energy is a renewable form of energy that | | | | day and seasonal variations. Cloudy and rainy days |
| is produced by solar arrays. Solar arrays are built | | | | contribute to less effectiveness of the sunlight |
| from a group of solar panels, and the panels are | | | | collection. |
| basically boxes that hold arrays of solar cells. If | | | | 4- The size of the panels: The bigger the size, the |
| you are thinking to use solar energy to power | | | | more efficient it will be. |
| your home, you need to do some research about | | | | If you want to make the panels on your own, |
| solar panel energy output in order to predict how | | | | you need to do some research to approximate |
| many solar cells and panels you need to build to | | | | the quantity of the panels that you need. It is said |
| produce enough power for your home. | | | | that usually each of these cells can produce up to |
| However, generally, each panel vary significantly | | | | 0.5 volts, but as have been discussed above it |
| They have different specifications and made of | | | | depends on the quality of the material you use. If |
| different materials. Here are the factors you need | | | | you need higher output, you can get solar cells |
| to consider: | | | | that have higher amplitude. Use this formula to |
| 1- The materials you use: | | | | approximate the size of the panels you are going |
| If you use cheap and weak materials the solar | | | | to need: |
| panels energy output will not be as efficient as | | | | Amp x Volts= the amount of power in watts. |
| the expensive and strong ones. There are three | | | | Using bigger cells may boost the solar panels |
| types of solar panels for home, they are the | | | | energy output. Although you can produce more |
| monocrystalline, the polycrystaline and the thin | | | | power with larger cells, the whole structure would |
| solar panels. The monocrystalline type is the most | | | | be very large and heavy, so it might not be |
| expensive and has the highest efficiency to collect | | | | practical in most of the situations. |
| sunlight and the least efficient is the thin type. | | | | However, usually every panel has the specification |
| 2- Your location: For instance if you live in Arizona, | | | | that tells you the maximum output you can get |
| you get more solar radiation than someone who | | | | out of the panel at given conditions, usually it is |
| lives in the mid west. | | | | based on 1000 watt per square meter, but 90 % |
| 3- Solar energy output is also affected by | | | | of the time you do not get that. It only gives an |
| weather and seasonal variations. The angle of the | | | | idea of what you will get but no real numbers. |
| sun to the solar panel changes with the time of | | | | |