Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Shopping For Solar Panels - 3 Helpful Tips

By Antoine C. Phillips


The development of solar power goes as far back as a century ago. Originally, the function of solar power was to produce steam for the running machinery. The alteration of sunlight, or the "photovoltaic effect", was first uncovered by Henri Becquerel, hence solar energy was conceived. In 1893, basing on Becquerel's findings, Charles Fritts invented the first authentic solar cell which was produced by covering sheets of selenium with a thin film of gold.

Our basic solar panels were spawned from a fairly basic beginning and have made great advancements. Solar panels are heated by clean renewable sunlight power and convert it into electricity, which can in turn be used to fuel electrical loads. One solitary solar panel is not designed to take an extraordinary workload. Obviously, they would be the need to operate more panels. If you are planning to buy solar panels, you can get the best value of your money as well get the most benefit from it if you know the following tips:

Price: As a rule, you get what you pay for with just about any merchandise, including solar panels. This is because the more expensive ones have more features and are manufactured using high quality materials.

Types of Solar Cells: The three solar cells all have their own characteristics; so find out which one will be the one for you. First is the monocrystalline silicon is the most effective and yields the smallest solar cells, and therefore the smallest panels. For obvious reasons the monocrystalline solar panels are the most expensive.

Subsequently, the next best bet would be polycrystalline, or multi-crystalline silicon. This is the preferred option because of the balance between its economic value and functionality. With recent enhancements, polycrystalline modules are now being brought closer to monocrystalline in terms of size, efficacy and heat resistance. European industries are presently receiving it as a preference. The third major type of solar cell is the amorphous; or thin film silicon. This sort draws a minor capacity of silicon and therefore will make a poor quality solar cell. As a result, amorphous take up more area than the other two previously discussed types of solar cells. This is a pertinent detail to take into account when considering potential advances down the road. For a personal use solar power setup, superior polycrystalline solar panels are most likely the best choice.

How Much You Will Pay: The price you pay determined by the warranty, any stamp of approval that it may have, and the brand name of the panels themselves. Things to consider when buying solar panels include the length of the warranty, any rebates that you will get, and if it is allowed in your area; choosing them based on price may actually get you a bad deal. The benefits of owning solar panels are many, however what we have detailed in this article hopefully provide you with enough information to make an educated decision. Some people choose to buy solar panels simply to get off of the grid and save money on their electric bill every month. However, the most prevalent reason would be to save money. The extra savings will allow you to save money, sometimes enough to get new panels that you can use.




About the Author:



No comments: