We have all heard of solar panels and we know their popularity is growing day by day. Solar cell phone chargers are also being more popular day by day and it is possible to find it in parks and other open areas. So, we can say the use of solar energy is our present and future and its use will grow daily. It is also nice to see and hear that people are becoming more aware of nature, that they are taking the free energy it provides them, which also leads to less pollution of our planet. What most of us know is that using solar panels is a way to save electricity.
In the following text, we will explain a little about the basic things you should know about solar panels if you intend to get them. And even if you don’t have in plan to install it, maybe this article will encourage you to do it anyway.
What are solar panels?
The solar panel is a panel designed to absorb sunrays converting them into energy that is used instead of electricity for heating the premises and water. Its design is simple and looks like a large board. The first solar cell was created in 1883, but we can say it has experienced an expansion at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st century.
Solar energy is one of the renewable energy sources that produce clean electricity, such as wind, hydropower, and geothermal. There are many benefits of clean electricity and man becomes more aware of it day by day.
The installation itself takes 3-5 days, depending on their size. It is necessary to place more panels, not only one but depending on the square footage of the object. It can be applied on any kind of roof, whether house or building, sloping, or flat, but it is important to take care that the roof on which you plan to install them is not in the shade of a tree building, nor it is damaged.
They can increasingly be seen on the roofs of schools, hospitals, fire stations, and other public institutions. Calculating how many panels are enough to install depends on the size of the house, but also on the location where the house is located. We do not have to be experts to conclude that places with more sunny days in the year guarantee lower consumption. It is recommendable to install it on the south side if possible, but it is important to know that the slope plays a very important role.
Solar panels cannot damage the roof, having in mind they are lightweight. They are very easy to maintain, they only need to be cleaned occasionally from dirt caused by precipitation, which can negatively affect the operation of the panels themselves. Solar panels work during da, not night. Even if it’s cloudy, they produce energy, but its productivity is lower. You do not have to worry low temperatures will damage it, but the work can be distracted if the snow covers it. In addition to not being affected by rising fuel prices, this type of energy also helps mitigate the effects of climate change.
Just as we have clean, so we have so-called dirty energy, which includes coal, oil, and natural gas.
On the annual level, solar panels can cover 60% of expenses for water heating and they contribute to the heating system as well. Thanks to the free solar energy, one household can save more than 1/3 of energy on an annual level. When introducing solar panels, that is the fact people rely on for reason. Harness Power will explain to you in more detail what you want to know on this topic.
Although it is necessary to invest a considerable amount of money to install the panels, this amount will be returned through reduced energy consumption.
Why is it so expensive?
The price of the solar system is expensive comparing to the classic heating system, although the difference is not too great. Still, it is very difficult to say precisely, due to various things as number and type of collectors, size and type of the tank and so on, but we can roughly say the installation of the solar system ranges between 15,000 and 25,000 dollars. In general, we can say that your investment will pay for itself in a period of 3-5years. After it, you have a heating system for free! Isn’t it nice? The reason why many people think it is a big investment is that the project has to be paid. It is very responsible work of the engineer, which will secure the job will be done properly.
By increasing the number of collectors, we will satisfy the greater needs for hot water, and you will only reheat when necessary.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar panels?
For sure we can say that there are more advantages than disadvantages, and only some of them we will mention. Let’s start with advantages: free energy, the rise in the price of fossil fuels and electricity has no effect, pure, renewable energy, self-repaying system, and we can guarantee your electric bill will be lower.
On the other hand, we can say the disadvantage is in winter it produces less energy, failure to appoint professionals can lead to improper operation. No matter how easy it is for you to install the panels, leave it to the experts. As we have already mentioned, engineers have a large share of this work.
A big role in the function of the panel, whether it will work at its maximum power, depends on the manufacturer itself. That is why it is very important to inquire about the quality that the manufacturer offers. It doesn’t necessarily mean the most expensive is the best, but if it turns out to be, you don’t need to hesitate with the decision to buy. As we said before, this is an investment that pays off, and it won’t happen if you buy panels of poorer quality just because they were on sale.
