Solar Power

Solar Energy

173,000 terawatts of Solar Energy reach the earth continuously—10,000 times our total energy use—and it’s available to homeowners and business throughout most of the United States and the rest of the world. Solar Power for most homes and business relies on photovoltaic panels of solar cells to gather energy from the sun and convert it to electricity.  A homeowner or business can use the power immediately, store it in a battery for later use, and sell excess power to the grid.

In fact, the U.S. Government offers tax incentives for the installation of a solar energy system. Installation of a solar energy system reduces or eliminates reliance on electricity generated by fossil fuels and other sources including hydroelectric.

Solar Power promises reduced fossil fuel use and lower carbon emissions—if we can power our homes and vehicles from the sun effectively and efficiently without the limitations of popular solar systems.

Solar Battery

Solar Panels produce Direct Current (DC) the same as a car, flashlight, or any other battery. Our homes use Alternating Current (AC) and the two are not compatible. When the sun goes down or shade covers a panel, energy production stops. A Solar Battery stores the power for overnight or anytime the sun doesn’t shine. To use the power from a battery or from a solar panel, a solar inverter converts the electricity from DC to AC and sends it to the home’s electrical panel or sells excess to the grid where it’s used by other utility customers.

Understanding Terms and Concepts for Backup Power Systems

Solar Inverter

A Solar Inverter fills multiple roles. It converts power from the solar panels for use by the home or business. Excess power charges the solar battery. When the battery is fully charged and the home or business has excess power, it can sell that excess to the utility.

A smarter solar inverter like the Generac PWRcell Inverter can work with an Automatic Transfer Switch to ensure the home or business has power during an outage or utility blackout like those in California. During an outage, the automatic transfer switch (ATS) disconnects the electrical system from the grid. The solar energy system continues to supply power from the panels when it is available and from the batteries when it is not.

Many homeowners were dismayed to learn that their solar energy system shut down during a power outage and they were left without power throughout the outage, even though their solar panels produced power and their batteries were fully charged.

Advanced Solar Battery Backup systems like Generac PWRcell manage power and protect the entire home from an outage or blackout. They direct power to the main electrical panel instead of a subpanel like Tesla Powerwall, LG Chem, or Encharge 10. Smart Management Modules lock out unnecessary heavy loads and manage other loads. If the air conditioner needs to start, the water heater shuts off until the A/C motor starts, then the water heater has power again. Tesla Powerwall management simply locks out a load until power is restored and doesn’t bother to manage it.