At one time, solar energy, along with water and wind energy, was viewed as a fad that came out of the onset of environmental concerns that arose early in the 1960’s rather than the necessity that it has truly become.  It’s no secret that the global environment is in trouble and has been greatly abused by virtue of utilizing fossil fuels for the production of energy and power, so it becomes incredibly important to understand the importance and the relevance of solar energy.  The following is a list of both known and unknown solar energy facts compiled for the sake of gaining additional knowledge on the subject. Read the rest of this entry

Solar panels are also called photovoltaic modules or photovoltaic panels and is an interconnected assembly of solar cells which enable conversion of the sun’s heat and light into electricity for businesses or homes.  A single solar panel can only produce a certain amount of solar panel watts.  Typically, there needs to be several solar panels installed in what is called an “array” in order to generate enough watt power for a commercial or residential structure.  It is also referred to as a photovoltaic array.

Batteries, an inverter, and wiring are also required to complete the solar energy system and generate sufficient electrical wattage in order to light one’s home or office building.  Additionally, these systems have off-grid as well as on-grid applications and are also used on today’s spacecraft.  Although solar panels are oftentimes referred to as photovoltaic panels, there is a distinct difference in the fact that the photovoltaic cell is used if the source of light is not specified, whereas solar cells create energy from direct sunlight. Read the rest of this entry