Solar panels are still a relatively new technology. Most people understand that they convert light into energy. The question remains, how does it work? This article breaks down the complicated science of how solar panels work. 

How Sunlight is Turned Into Energy

To put the process of how solar panels work into the most basic terms as possible, solar panels work by transforming light energy into electrical energy. Of course, not everything light touches can capture and store energy the way that solar panels do. So, what makes solar panels so special?

Solar panels are made up of many small units called photovoltaic cells. The word "photovoltaic" is a term used to describe things that can be used to convert the sun's energy (solar power) into electricity. These cells are often made up primarily of silicon, with trace amounts of other materials that encourage the conductivity of the silicon.

In a solar panel, it's the silicon and other trace materials, like phosphorus and boron, that help to capture the sun's energy. They do this by creating an electric field between the pieces of silicon that make up each cell. Conductive plates can then transfer the electricity to wiring or a generator. From there on, the electricity can be used just like electricity produced by any other source.

How To Measure Captured Energy

There are several ways to measure energy, whether it be from solar power or another electrical source. One of the most common ways to measure electricity is by using kilowatt-hours. So, what is a kilowatt-hour?

A kilowatt is a unit of measuring energy, but that doesn't really explain how much energy a kilowatt actually is. If you're one who understands things best by looking at comparisons, then this can be easy to explain. One kilowatt is equal to 1000 watts or 3,600,000 joules. If these conversions don't make much sense to you, don't worry. There are other ways to explain it.

The most common way kilowatts are used are in terms of kilowatt-hours. to reiterate, what is a kilowatt-hour? Another way to describe it, kilowatt-hours describe how many kilowatts, on average, are used in an hour. 

Often times, various electronics and appliances, like refrigerators and televisions, will have an estimated kilowatt-hour use on them when they are first purchased. This can give customers a rough estimate of how much energy the item will use. By knowing this, they can estimate how much their electric bill will be, based on how much his or her electricity company charges per kilowatt-hour.

How Much Energy Do You Need

How much energy a person needs to run their household all depends on how much electricity they use. Unless someone has just moved into a new house or bought all new electronics or appliances, he or she should be able to look at a record of their electricity bills to see how much electricity he or she regularly uses. Once the homeowner knows this number, he or she knows how much electricity the house uses on average.

Can a solar panel provide all the electricity a household needs? The answer to that question mostly depends on how much electricity a house uses. A homeowner should know how many kilowatt-hours his or her household uses on average. Once he or she knows this number, knowing whether a solar panel can help is easy.

An average-sized solar panel, when taking in one hour of direct light each day, can produce about 250 watts, which is about 0.25 kilowatts. While this doesn't seem like a lot, having a solar panel in direct sunlight for many hours a day, or having more than one solar panel, can help to collect energy quickly. Even 0.25 kilowatts an hour can add up quickly!

The above covers the basics of solar panels. Hopefully, this article can help homeowners to know if investing in a solar panel is right for them or not. Again, it all depends on how much electricity a household uses, how much light the area gets, and how many solar panels a homeowner is willing to install!