What are the Different kinds of Solar PV Cells and how to save for them!

Making the decision to have solar PV cells fitted to your home or place of business is quite a major one to make as there are many different things to consider such as is your roof in suitable condition, the costs involved including the installation fee and also where on your roof are you going to put them?

But once you have decided you are going to have them you must then choose which type of Solar PV panel you are going to get. Here is a quick guide to three different types of panel on the market today:

Monocrystalline Cells

The panels are cut out from a single crystal of silicon and so is effectively a big slice from an even bigger crystal. They appear to have a smooth texture and you will also be able to see how thick the slice is. These are one of the most efficient and therefore one of the most expensive to make, which is also reflected in their price. Because these solar PV panels are rigid they must be installed in a rigid frame to protect them.

Amorphous Cells

These panels are create by putting a thin film of non-crystalline silicon onto a wide variety of surfaces. These are the least efficient but also the least expensive to produce. Because the thin film is flexible so can the whole solar panel too.

OK so you have embraced the eco-friendly way of life and decided that you are going to get a solar power system installed onto your home, but then you found out how much it costs and now you need to spend some time saving money before you can begin making your own energy! So, we have put together a short list of environmentally friendly ways that can help you save the pennies to put towards your solar panels cost:

Go through your rubbish

This might sound made but if you actually take the time to go through your bins you will see how much money you are throwing away, for example, the amount of unopened products which have gone bad before being opened or the amount of leftovers that have been dumped. Doing this will remind you when you go shopping not to buy stuff you won’t have the time to eat and to cook smaller portions.

Feed-in Tariffs

Ask your local council about any schemes or projects they are running to help you with your solar panels cost. This is a great way to get assistance with all the charges and therefore to get you producing your own electricity quicker than you expected.

A History of Solar PV panels

The abbreviation PV stands for ‘photovoltaic’. The term comes from the Greek word ‘phos’ meaning ‘light’ and ‘voltaic’ meaning ‘electric’ – which derives from the Italian physicist Volta. The volt, a unit electro-motive force is also named after him.

The first solar PV call was built in 1883 by Charles Fritts however this original device was only 1 per cent efficient which did not make for a successful panel. The next type of cell was built in 1888 by a Russian man called Alexsandr Stoletov however; it was Albert Einstein who first explained the photoelectric effect in 1905 resulting in him receiving a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.

The PV cell was actually developed in 1954 by Bell Laboratories, a research and development organisation, by using a diffused silicon p-n junction. Over the past forty years a shocking amount of progress has been made and now solar PV panels are being actively made available to the general public via government incentives.

As solar cells are now far more common place they are being used for everyday applications. The general homeowner installs a PV system onto their roof in order to produce their own electrical energy, this not only reduces their bills but also means they are able to sell excess electricity back to the main electrical board.

Another popular use is to get a system which heats up your water! However, you are also able to by a system which does both. Solar PV panels are no longer restricted to the very rich and affluent and the UK is aiming to make them more and more commonplace.

Facts about Solar Energy

Many people are aware of the benefits of Solar energy, the only thing that puts them off is the solar panel cost. What people don’t realise is that the initial outlay is returned in savings multiple times over in the course of the systems life.

Solar energy has many applications

Solar energy is not just good for heating and lighting houses. It has also been used to heat swimming pools, power cars, fans, calculators and other smaller appliances.

Quick Facts about energy usage

-About 30% of a households total energy consumption is used to heat water.

-In one hour more sunlight falls on our earth that what is used in solar energy by the whole population in a whole year.

-Electric ovens, microwaves and air conditioning systems consume the most energy when running.

Quick facts about the Sun

-The Sun is 109 times bigger that the Earth.
-The Suns average temperature is 5700C
-The Sun is 150 million km from the Earth.

About your Solar panel system

Remember that although you have the system and solar panel cost to consider at the beginning you will reap the rewards! Panels are usually mounted on a roof that is unobstructed by trees or buildings.

It needs to installed facing North so as to receive maximum amounts of sunlight. An average system usually consists of 10 to 12 panels, a battery, inverter, charge controller, wiring and a support structure. You are able to store excess solar energy in batteries for use at a later date.

Solar energy usage across the world

Worldwide productions of solar cells increased by 60% in 2004 alone! However the material these cells are made out of, Silicon, has been in short supply ever since. One of the biggest solar power plants is in Bavaria and has 1,400 movable solar panels providing power to 3,500 homes.

The largest is in the Mojave Desert in North America. Its Solar panels cover 1000 acres! A large solar power plant is currently being built in Israel and it is planned that it will supply more than 200,000 Israeli’s with electricity.

Attitudes must change for solar energy to take off

Solar energy is more than just being willing to install a system and put up with the solar panel cost. It is about our attitude toward renewable and unrenewable power that must change. We live in a throwaway society. Things are easily bought and are just as easily discarded. More and more people are beginning to live greener lives but it will take a worldwide collective effort to really make a change!

For more information see solar panel cost.