Many choose to connect their solar system to the grid, allowing them to sell excess energy back to their utility. This helps reduce demand during sunny days and at night, lowering utility bills.

Choosing the right brand can help you maximize your solar savings. Solar Montana panels are known for their high performance and durability, with strong warranties.

Solar panels convert the sunlight hitting your roof into electricity, relying on a phenomenon known as the photovoltaic effect. When photons (light particles) hit the silicon-based semiconductor material inside your solar panel, it excites electrons and knocks them loose from their atoms. These free electrons flow through your solar panel and into your home electrical system, delivering clean, renewable energy to your household appliances and lights.

A solar panel is made up of many individual solar cells. Each cell generates only a tiny bit of power on its own, but there’s strength in numbers: dozens of solar cells are packaged together into solar modules that are then framed into protective glass casing and insulated with a back sheet. Each solar module has an inverter that regulates how much power it produces and feeds it into your home’s electric grid.

Most homeowners choose to pair their solar systems with battery backup. This allows you to store the electricity your solar system is producing and use it at night, when it’s most needed. Some solar system owners also choose to participate in their utility’s net metering program, which gives them credit for the electricity they send back into the grid.

Solar panels are most efficient on clear, sunny days when they receive direct sunlight. In the winter, when there is less direct sunlight, your solar system’s efficiency drops. However, this drop is due to less available sun, not because the panels are less effective than in the summer.

The efficiency of your solar panel is also affected by its orientation and tilt, as well as the surrounding environment. The optimal tilt angle depends on your location, time of year, and the pitch of your roof.

A solar panel’s overall efficiency is also determined by the type of silicon used for its cells. There are two types of silicon solar cells: monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline cells are made from single, solid silicon and have higher efficiencies than polycrystalline cells, which contain silica fragments.

Cost

Solar panels have become affordable and financially rewarding for many homeowners. They reduce electricity bills and open up new opportunities for savings, such as earning credits on your energy bill for the excess power your solar system produces. In addition, they can increase the value of your home if you ever decide to sell.

Solar panel costs vary greatly from state to state, and many factors can impact the price of a system. The type of panel you choose is a major cost driver. Monocrystalline panels, which use whole silicon crystals for better efficiency, are more expensive than polycrystalline or thin-film models. System size and energy usage also affect cost. Larger systems are more expensive than smaller ones, but they can deliver greater long-term savings.

Choosing the right inverter and racking system is another key cost factor. These parts of the system are essential for optimizing solar performance and minimizing energy output. There are a lot of options out there, and it’s important to do your homework and compare prices and efficiency between different manufacturers.

When you are ready to start shopping for a solar panel system, it’s best to work with an experienced and licensed installer. Your local solar specialist can help you find the best option for your budget and home, and will walk you through all of your available options for financing.

Once your system is installed, you will have a two-way meter that tracks the amount of electricity your solar panels produce versus how much your house uses. Any unused energy will be sold back to the grid, and your utility company will credit you for it. This is known as net metering, and it’s an amazing way to save money on your electric bill while supporting clean energy.

Efficiency

Solar panels are the heart of any PV system, and their efficiency determines how much energy they produce. However, many factors impact how efficiently your PV system operates.

First, the type of panels you choose play a significant role in overall price. Monocrystalline and polycrystalline are the two most popular types, and both offer competitive efficiencies of around 20 percent in laboratory tests. But they differ significantly in price per panel – monocrystalline tends to be more expensive, while polycrystalline is cheaper.

The material and design of the PV cells are also critical to efficiency. Thin-film panels, which involve spraying or depositing photovoltaic materials (like amorphous silicon or cadmium telluride) onto glass or metal surfaces in thin layers, are less efficient than other types, converting only about 7-15% of sunlight into electricity. They are, however, relatively inexpensive on a per-watt basis and can be an effective alternative to more expensive mono or polycrystalline panels for applications like augmenting conventional PV modules or affixing them to irregular surfaces.

Your location and weather patterns will also influence how well your solar system performs. Solar panel efficiency declines slightly over time, but years of real-world data show that they reliably produce energy for decades, often exceeding initial manufacturer projections.

Morning Sunlight

The amount of direct sunlight a solar panel receives is the biggest factor in how much power it can generate. Solar panels cannot generate electricity at night, and their output is reduced on overcast days. Optimizing your system by orienting it to face the sun’s path, which is generally south for locations in the Northern Hemisphere, will maximize efficiency over the course of the year.

Cooling Systems

A properly designed and executed cooling system is essential to preventing the degradation of PV cells that occurs at higher temperatures. The use of heat-reflective coatings and the adoption of microinverters also help mitigate the effect of temperature on performance.

The quality of the installation and regular maintenance of your PV system is another important factor in its performance. A high-quality system will reduce the need for costly repairs and replacements. Periodic inspections and cleaning are recommended to keep dust, debris, and dirt from obstructing the PV cells and reducing efficiency.

Installation

Solar panels are a complex piece of electrical technology, and the installation process requires specialised skill to ensure the safety and efficiency of your system. Getting quotes from a number of different installers is crucial, as prices and quality vary significantly. Our expert Energy Advisors can help you understand the differences between the options, enabling you to make an informed decision on your new solar panel system.

Choosing the right solar system for your property starts with a thorough site inspection. This includes a look at the typology of your roof or ground space, and an analysis of your energy consumption. This information is used to determine the ideal size of your solar panel system, so it can match your energy needs exactly.

Next, your installer will install the mounting equipment on your roof or in the ground. This step is crucial to the safety of your solar installation, and a qualified engineer will check that the structure of your home can handle the weight of the panels and the inverter. In addition, a permit will need to be obtained to integrate your solar energy system with the electric grid.

The racking systems are then mounted onto the panels, and if you’re using a roof, the panels will be angled to capture the sun’s rays throughout the day. Ideally, the panels should face south in the northern hemisphere and north in the southern hemisphere.

Installing the inverter is also a vital step, as it converts the direct current (DC) generated by your solar panels into the alternating current (AC) needed by your household appliances. Your installer will connect this inverter to your racking and panels, as well as the electrical wiring that leads back to your home.

Your installer will test your solar system to ensure everything is working properly before giving you the go-ahead to flick on the power. It’s also a good idea to consider adding a generation meter to your installation, so you can monitor how your system performs. This will enable you to see how much energy your solar panels are producing, and make any adjustments as necessary.