 Factors Influencing Your
Home Solar Energy Panel
Efficiency
Solar Energy Facts:
Solar energy is all about harnessing
the power of the sun to produce energy. The sun lavishes enough
solar energy on the Earth in one day to power the entire energy
needs of the world for one year. Solar energy is considered a
renewable energy source because it will exist for as long as
our sun does, estimated to be another 4.5 billion years. Solar
energy is also considered a clean energy because it does not
produce pollutants or byproducts harmful to the
environment.
Solar energy was the first energy source used by mankind. Of
course, the use was limited to drying things and heating caused
by direct contact, but it was a use. In modern times, solar
energy has been a power source since the early 1950s, but was
not widespread due to technological issues which rendered it an
ineffective and expensive energy source. With technology
advancements, solar energy is moving to the forefront as a
potential alternative to fossil fuels.
While solar energy is most often associated with the
production of electricity, heating is also a major platform.
While heating isn't particularly difficult, efficiency in doing
so is the key to saving wear and tear on your system.
Solar Panels For The Home
The sun produces a ton of energy, but solar panel systems
have historically been very inefficient at converting it. With
improving technology, efficiency has improved to the point
where most panel systems can easily produce enough energy to
heat water for the home and pools. There are efficient and
inefficient ways to go about this process.
You made a good choice in deciding to purchase a solar panel
system to provide you with some or all of your home's energy.
There is a lot of information that you need to know before you
actually buy the solar panel system that you have your eye on.
One main question is how to determine the output that your
solar panel system will.
Each different solar panel system has an estimated maximum
output level. The maximum wattage that a panel system will
actually produce is directly related to the size of your solar
panel system. Larger solar energy panels will have higher
output levels, while smaller panels will have lower output
levels. Also, if you are intending to help your solar panel
systems reach the maximum level, you can take extra measures.
Simple steps like ensuring proper orientation to the sun can
help. Since the sun reaches its peak at noon, your solar energy
panels should be positioned to absorb as much sunlight as
possible, before, during, and after peak sunlight.
Another major determining factor is the weather. Since solar
panels absorb, yup you guessed it, sunlight, it makes sense
that if the sky is cloudy the panels will not absorb nearly the
same amount of sunlight. Unfortunately, until you can master
control of the weather, you cannot change this factor.
The season also affects your solar panel system's wattage
output. It is common knowledge that the days are shorter in
winter and longest during the summer. When the days are the
longest, your solar panels are exposed to the sunlight longer,
allowing them to absorb more and produce more energy.
Solar Panel Efficiency In Hot Water Systems - Flow
Control
To save wear and tear on your panels, you need to consider a
flow control system. Older panel systems tend to take a long
time to heat up fluid because water more or less randomly
circulates through the system. This is very inefficient because
the panels are forced to heat up a much larger pool of water
than you actually need. This results in wear and tear, not to
mention lengthy waits for hot water.
A control flow system attacks the efficiency problem by
reducing the amount of water that must be heated. Most are
designed to work on temperature differential strategies. They
work by using two sensors. The first is located close the
panels being used to heat the water or liquid substitute. The
second is located on or close to the liquid return valve in the
panel system. Put in practical terms, one sensor measures the
temperature of liquid set to leave the panel while the other
measures the temperature of liquid coming into the panel.
Flow systems work by waiting for the liquid to rise to a
temperature determined by you. Once the liquid meets the
temperature, the system turns on the circulation pump and moves
the liquid to the desired location. Once the return valve
sensor notes the temperature of the returning water is within a
particular, the pump is shut off. This process allows for
faster heating times, more efficiency and less wasted
energy.
The largest producers of solar energy in the world are
Germany, Japan and the United States. California has recently
introduces a solar initiative devoting over three billion
dollars to promoting solar energy use by residents in the
state. As these solar energy facts demonstrate, the solar
energy platform is coming of age.
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