solar-power What is solar energy used for?

What is solar energy used for?

Solar energy can be used in several ways. For example, it can be used as the sole source of electricity, for which you need to ensure that solar panels provide enough energy to support all consumption requirements, in addition to batteries for storing energy. Alternatively, solar energy can be used to complement conventional electricity supply, such as the installation of solar panels on the roof of your home, taking advantage of solar energy during the day and using the existing conventional electrical supply for energy consumption at night.

Solar energy is a useful way to generate reasonable amounts of electricity, as long as there is a good amount of solar radiation available and its location is relatively free of obstacles, such as trees and other buildings that block the exposure of solar panels.

Solar Energy as the Only Source of Electricity (Off-Grid)

If you are looking to use solar energy as your only energy source, you should carefully analyze your consumption and see how you can keep demand to a minimum. In a home environment, it is actually quite complicated to do this without making major changes. As consumers, it is very easy to underestimate the amount of electricity we use and solar energy can be very expensive if you simply seek to match your typical energy consumption without first looking for ways to reduce consumption.

Of course it is possible to install a simple and economical solar energy system that does not cost a fortune and can provide decades of reliable service. Some examples include:

  • Install a source of light or energy somewhere where it is difficult to obtain a standard electrical supply, such as in the garden, shed or a garage with remote control.
  • Create a reliable and continuous power source where the standard power supply is unreliable due to regular power outages.
  • Develop a mobile power supply that can be taken with you, such as a power source to use while camping, work on individual projects outdoors or work on a construction site.

The amount of energy that needs to be generated is directly related to the size and cost of a solar electric system. The more electricity you need, the bigger and more expensive the system will be.

If the requirements for solar electricity are to turn on some lights, to run some relatively low power electrical equipment such as a laptop, a small TV, a compact refrigerator and some other small parts, then, if it has a suitable location, you can achieve whatever you want with solar energy

On the other hand, if you want to use high-power equipment such as fan heaters, washing machines and power tools, you will probably find that the costs will quickly get out of control.

As mentioned earlier, solar electricity is not perfectly suitable for generating heat. Heating, cooking and heating rooms consume significant amounts of energy. Using electricity to generate this heat is extremely inefficient. Instead of using solar electricity to generate heat, it is more efficient to consider a thermo-solar system for hot water, and to heat and cook with gas. There is always the option of using solar cookers or similar solutions, such as clay ovens.

Normally, it is not so easy to transition from family energy consumption without making any cut in current electricity consumption. Most houses do not have enough roof space for all the panels that would be necessary. Cost is also a factor. If you plan to disconnect completely from the network, it is generally a good idea to carefully evaluate your current electricity consumption and make savings wherever you can before continuing.

Most homes and businesses are very inefficient with their use of electricity.

First you must spend some time identifying where electricity is wasted and eliminating this waste. This is very important if you want to implement solar electricity efficiently and profitably.

For other applications, a solar electric installation is much more cost effective. For example, it doesn't matter in which country you live, the electricity supply for a holiday home is within the capabilities of a solar power system, as long as the heating and cooking are supplied with gas or solid fuels and the site is sunny. With little, or the least possible shade.

In this scenario, a solar power system may be more cost effective than installing a conventional electricity supply if the house is not connected to the network and is not close to a network electricity connection.

Low-cost solar panels are also ideal for charging batteries in caravans and recreational vehicles or in boats and boats, which ensures that the batteries receive a slow charge between trips and keep the batteries in optimal condition while the caravan or ship does not is in use

Solar energy as a supplementary energy source (On-Grid)

The vast majority of solar installations in Europe and North America today are roof installations of houses. In these systems, solar panels generate electricity that is used in the home during the day, with any excess energy that is fed to the grid and used by other nearby houses. At night, these houses then use electricity from the conventional electricity grid. These systems are called systems connected to the grid, also known as On-Grid.

The solar electrical systems connected to the network effectively create a micro central that provides energy not only for you, but also to the general distribution network. Electricity can be used by other people and by yourself.

There are some variations on this subject. For example, you can now install a battery with a network connection system so that excess electricity produced during the day can be stored in a battery for overnight use. This has the advantage of reducing your consumption and personal dependence on the network, but providing the guarantee that you will not run out of energy.

By configuring solar energy as a supplementary energy source, the size of your solar installation is much less critical. Instead, you can choose the size of the system based on the amount of space available or the amount of budget available for your project. In many countries, there is an entry fee that pays you money for every kilowatt hour of electricity it produces. This may mean that homeowners who install solar energy can generate sufficient income from their solar installation to offset their electricity bills and often pay the entire solar installation for the next 5-10 years.

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