Solar Power Systems

Solar energy systems

Solar energy systems are among the greatest inventions of the 21st century, at least in terms of efforts for cleaner renewable energy.

They enable us to achieve things such as reducing electricity bills and even energy independence. No wonder solar energy systems are becoming an increasingly interesting topic.

If you are inquisitive or just looking for a way to save money and be more energy-independent, you are in the right place: the Solar Energy Systems category in the Elmark Holding online store.

Here we will not only offer you great solar energy systems to power your home, villa or country house, but we will also dive deeper into the world of solar energy systems and give you a more detailed overview so that you know what you are buying and what you can get from them.

What are solar energy systems?

Solar energy systems, also called photovoltaic systems, are a power supply system designed to provide electricity converted from solar energy by means of the photovoltaic effect.

A solar energy system is made up of several components making up a circuit that captures and converts solar energy, then stores it in the form of electricity and makes it available for domestic use.

Components of solar energy systems

When we talk about solar energy systems, most people only imagine solar panels. However, there are many components involved in building a solar energy system. These components include:

• Solar panels;
• Inverters;
• A system of racks;
• Wiring;
• Solar combiner boxes;
• Trip switches;
• Circuit breakers;
• Electricity meters.

Solar panels are made up of numerous solar cells with semiconductor properties encapsulated in material to protect them from the weather.

These properties allow a cell to capture sunlight, i.e. photons from the Sun, and convert their energy into useful electricity by means of a process called the photovoltaic effect.

On the other side of the semiconductor is a layer of conductive material that "collects" the electricity produced.

The sunlit side of the panel also contains an anti-reflective coating to minimise losses caused by light reflection.

The vast majority of solar panels produced worldwide are made up of crystalline silicon, which has a theoretical efficiency limit of 33% for converting solar energy into electricity.

An inverter is an electrical device that converts direct current into alternating current.

For solar energy systems, this means that the direct current from the solar array is fed into an inverter which converts it into alternating current. This conversion is necessary as most electrical appliances and devices use alternating current.

Inverters are key to almost all solar energy systems and are often the most expensive component after the solar panels themselves.

So-called racks, or frame systems, are the mounting supports for fixing the solar panel on the ground or the roof of a building.

Racks are usually made of steel or aluminium. They racks fix the solar panels mechanically in the right place with a very high level of precision.

Quality rack systems must be designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes or tornados and heavy snowdrifts.

Another important function of rack systems is to earth the solar panels to prevent electric shocks when people approach them.

The other components of solar energy systems are standard electrical equipment such as circuit breakers, meters, wiring, etc., that distribute the converted electricity for domestic purposes.

Operating principle of solar energy systems

Now that we have explained in detail what a complete solar energy system looks like with regard to its individual components, we will describe the basic operating principle that allows solar energy to be collected and converted into electricity.

Basically, solar energy systems are like any other system that generates electricity. The difference lies in the equipment, which differs from that used in conventional electro-mechanical generating systems.

However, the principles of operation and interaction with other electrical systems remain the same, guided by a well-established set of electrical codes and standards.

Although an array of solar panels generates electricity when exposed to sunlight, a whole lot of other components are required to properly conduct, control, convert, distribute and store the energy produced by the panels that we mentioned above.

Once all the components are in place, the process of collecting solar energy and converting it into electricity can begin. The process is as follows:

Solar panels collect solar energy and use the solar cells to convert it into direct current. The latter passes through the inverter, which converts the direct current into alternating current that is suitable for use by most household appliances.

Once the current has been converted, it is stored in a battery block from where it can be used at any time.

The electricity can now be used to meet the needs of the connected household through a distribution system.

Where solar systems are most successfully used

Despite their innovative technology and the great opportunity to generate free and renewable energy, solar energy systems are still not powerful enough to meet the needs of industry, particularly heavy industry.

Currently, solar energy systems are therefore most successful for domestic needs. The most popular solar energy systems in this segment are autonomous solar systems and network solar systems.

Autonomous solar systems have a battery block to store the generated electricity for use when necessary. This makes these solar systems highly suitable for villas and houses in inaccessible locations without a power supply or for consumers who want to achieve full energy independence.

Solar network systems, on the other hand, do not have a battery block, i.e. they supply the generated electricity directly to the nearest consumers. These solar energy systems consist of at least 10 solar panels and are most often installed on the roofs of houses/buildings.

Due to the way they operate, these solar energy systems are suitable both for contributing to the energy consumed in the building and for selling electricity.

Why obtain solar energy systems for your home?

After all you have read so far, if you are not convinced that you should acquire a solar energy system for your home, we will try to give you a few more arguments.

Needless to say, this is an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional coal power generation and that by using solar energy you will help both the natural environment and yourself.

As another important reason, we can point out the fact that you will be energy-independent and will not fall under the monopoly of electricity distributors.

If this still does not convince you, note that the purchase of a solar energy system for your home will be the last money you will spend on electricity in your life, as the electricity they produce will cost you exactly zero.