Things to Know About Solar Energy

Solar energy is quickly becoming a new way for families that are off the grid to enjoy the same luxuries that many families with electricity do. As the cost of running electricity to rural areas continues to increase, and the cost of installing renewable energy systems decreases, this is now the most cost effective option.

Families that have yet to make the switch are often full of questions, and these are some of the things that they need to know before investing in this renewable energy source.

Batteries

Most homeowners are under the impression that when they go with this form of energy, they will not have any power at night time or will need a secondary source when it is cloudy. While it is true that there is less energy coming in from the sun on cloudy days, and none at night time, there is no need to install a set of windmills just yet.

Solar batteries are often installed at the same time as a stand-alone system. These work by storing solar energy that is not used during the day. The majority of homes receive more than they will use, and this excess amount of solar energy can be reserved in these to help keep the home powered when it is not receiving energy from the sun, such as at night time.

Energy can be sold

This is not available in every area, but it is popular in some. As homes receive more energy, it is stored in the batteries first. Often, these will fill up, including any extra batteries, and then the extra energy simply goes to waste.

Because of this, many people choose to keep an eye on them. Once most of them are full, and they have more than enough energy, they take some and sell it back to the grid for other individuals to buy.

There are some fees that can be associated with selling solar energy, but it is definitely worth looking into for families that frequently wind up with more energy than they will ever use.

Generators can be comforting

Having a backup generator just in case can, and does, give many families peace of mind. If the climate is a bit unpredictable, and there can be weeks of rain with little sunshine, there is a chance that the batteries can run dry.

In this situation, families that do not have a back-up generator will be in a panic. Families that do have one handy, however, will be able to go about their day as they normally would until the sun comes back out and goes back to giving them the power that they need. Even a generator is not used frequently, it is much better to be safe than sorry in this case.

Inverters can go down

Most people take the time to at least research the thought of investing in a nice set of back up batteries and a generator for this sole reason. Invertors help to take the energy and transform it, but these can easily go down when the grid goes down. If the power is knocked out and all a home has is a few panels and an inverter, that house is not going to have power just like the rest of the neighbourhood.

There seem to be so many components and things to consider when it comes to solar energy that it can be a bit overwhelming just to comprehend it all. These are the four most basic things that homeowners are encouraged to consider before they make the switch to a new power supply. They are also encouraged to read as much as possible on the subject or to schedule a free consultation with a business to make sure that they are well informed about their decision.



Source by Joe Springer

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