Call Us : 020 3376 8656
phillip.glover@solartechnologies.uk
Get In Contact

How Do Solar Panels Work?

Oct 10, 2022Environment, Solar0 comments

Solar panels turn sunlight into electricity through the photovoltaic (PV) effect, which is why they’re often referred to as PV panels.

The photovoltaic effect occurs when photons from the sun’s rays hit the semiconductive material (typically silicon) in the cell of the solar module. The photons activate electrons, causing them to free themselves from the semiconductive material.

How does solar PV work?

01. Turning sunlight into electricity
Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels turn sunlight into electricity. In order to use this energy, the panels mounted on your roof need to be connected to an inverter using cables. Our package includes all the necessary equipment for a complete solar installation so, after installation, you will be able to automatically generate your own electricity from the panels installed.

During sunny days the solar panels will produce more electricity than you are able to use. Unused electricity is exported to the national grid, unless you have got a power diverter or battery installed, meaning you will store currently unused electricity for consumption at a later time. At other times you will use more energy than your solar panels generate. You will then use electricity from the national grid – just like you do now.

02. How much electricity does a solar panel produce?
The total amount of electricity generated will differ on every rooftop and will depend on the orientation towards the sun, the amount of shade and the slope of your roof. During registration, we will ask you various questions about your roof in order to provide a personal estimate of how much electricity your solar panels will generate on your roof.
03. Watt peak (Wp) and kilowatt-hour (kWh)
Just like other electrical appliances, the power of solar panels is measured in Watts and expressed as kilowatts per hour (kWh). This is simply how many 1,000 Watts are produced every hour. The amount of electricity generated will depend on the annual amount of sunlight, as the amount of sunlight continually changes, the maximum power output of a solar panel is known as its Watt peak (Wp).

Optimal conditions for solar panels are in a location that is south-facing and shade-free, under these conditions a system in the UK will generate approximately 90% of its Watt peak power.

04. Taking the shady and cloudy days into account
Shade can have a negative effect on the efficiency of a solar PV system and reduces the available roof space. If you do have shade on your roof from chimneys, nearby trees or buildings we can offer an optimised solution to increase the efficiency of the system and help minimise the effect of shading.

If you are not sure whether this applies to you, the installer will be able to advise on the best system for you at the survey stage. In the event that you decide to add optimisation to your panels and the surveys show you don’t need it the installer will remove this from your price.

The British weather can be unpredictable at the best of times, but that doesn’t mean that your solar panels won’t work during the winter months or on cloudy days.