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With energy prices rising higher and higher with no end in sight, these days, the question of how does solar power work is firing up the curiosity of many money-conscious families and individuals. A major concern for people considering going solar is the cost of equipment and installation, but federal and state grants to help defer these costs are becoming increasingly available. Notwithstanding what may seem like a high installation cost, using solar power in the home is a great option for the long term and the ongoing savings will soon off-set the initial outlay.

When installing solar power to a residential or commercial application, the concept is basically the same except for the difference in installation requirements. A house is small and simple but a factory or warehouse needs greater capacity and would require a more complex and involved installation.

In a nutshell, solar panels are like power lines with a semiconductor to produce electricity when the sun’s rays are focused on them. They can serve multiple purposes, such as heating your water or air through your building’s HVAC system. The electricity generated by solar power, is usually routed to your controller/regulator. At that point the voltage or amperage is modified to your system’s needs. Finally it is routed to your electrical or storage system.

The basic components of a solar power system are:
Photovoltaic or solar panels also known as PV panels.
Current regulator or controller to control the voltage/amperage of the incoming electricity generated by the solar panel.
Storage system. Typically an array of batteries to store the energy created by the solar panels that is not used during the day.

Solar panels are available in a wide range of prices according to the kind of installation you want. The typical box type of panels on the roof is adequate if the building is used for industry in an out-of-the-way spot. When installing solar panels on larger business or industrial buildings, note that not only can you mount panels on the roof you can also install solar panels on the ground. This will allow more energy to be generated

Solar panels can be mounted in a rooftop setup in addition to ground and pole mounts. The ground and pole mounts offer additional design flexibility especially when your structure is in the shade for part of the day. Solar panels can also be equipped with mechanisms that allow them to follow or “track the sun throughout the day maximizing their exposure to the suns rays. One of the largest drawbacks to solar installation is of course sunset. This is remedied by installing a battery array or storage system, or using supplemental power from the utility company power grid.

If you want a more discrete, dual purpose installation you can even have your structure constructed with solar cells built right into the roofing, awning and window materials. In a residential application using roofing materials with the solar cells built in will give you the same level of protection as an asphalt shingle while functioning as a solar panel, giving you more flexibility in design and reducing the chances your home will look like a space station.