What is a photovoltaic system?
A photovoltaic or solar system produces electricity from solar radiation. This is a renewable and inexhaustible source of energy that does not require any fuel to generate electricity. The power of a photovoltaic system for a family home, an apartment building or a company ranges from units and tens of kilowatts.
What are the components of a photovoltaic system?
A photovoltaic system has two basic components: photovoltaic solar panels and an inverter.
What is a photovoltaic solar panel?
A photovoltaic solar panel, when it gets enough sunlight, produces electricity. Direct current, to be exact. The most common photovoltaic solar panel is black or dark blue in color, its measures are 1.5 x 1 meters and weighs around 20 kilograms. The power of this type of panels is around 300 watts.
What is an inverter?
In order to use electricity from solar panels, it is necessary to connect an inverter to the panels. This device converts direct current from the panels into electricity, which household appliances connected to a plug can use to run normally. The inverter usually looks like a “box on the wall”, where the electricity from the panels go through wiring. This wiring goes from the inverter to the main electrical panel of the house or company.
Where can solar panels be placed?
Photovoltaic systems can be installed in almost any roof, including barns, sheds, garages, etc. In the case of pergolas and garages, the roof can be directly made up of solar panels.
How long does it take to recoup a photovoltaic installation?
In general, the recoupment period of solar panels installed correctly and without batteries is around 8-10 years. The recoupment period of systems with batteries is around 10-12 years.
What size of photovoltaic installation do I need?
System size is directly related to the electricity consumption of the house. The photovoltaic system must be installed in order to optimize all energy possible for the house’s own consumption.
What is the lifespan and efficiency of photovoltaic solar panels?
Manufacturers offer warranties for a lifespan of 25 years on solar panels. After this time, photovoltaic solar panels’ production would not be less than 80% of their nominal capacity.
How long does the installation of a photovoltaic system take?
The onsite installation of the photovoltaic system takes around 1-3 days.
What are the maintenance requirements of solar panels?
A photovoltaic system does not require maintenance. Solar panels resist outdoor conditions and are self-cleaning.