Solar Power 101: Photovoltaic Systems So what is solar power? How does it work? Check out this brief explanation of one way we can harness the power of the sun. Duration: 124 sec Date: Oct 30, 2007

Most homes get electricity from the local power company,and the local power company is part of what is called the grid.These power lines are part of the grid.The electricity from the grid enters the home through a meter.By adding a solar energyor PV system to a home,the home can generate its own electricity.First, sunlight must be captured and convertedfrom light to electricityThat is what PV cells do.By grouping many cells into panels,enough power is generated to run a home or business.The electricity that is created by the solar panelsis DC, or direct current, electricity.DC electricity must be gathered together and changed,or inverted into AC or alternating current which is the type of electricity found throughout a home.This is done with a piece of equipment called an inverter.The inverter is a very important part of the system. Oftentimes, batteries are attached to the inverter to store excess powerfor use when there is no sun.The inverter provides the electricity necessary to run the home.If there is excess power generated by the PV systemthe inverter can push the extra power out onto the grid.Normally, the wheel on a meter turns one wayas the power from the grid enters the home.But with a PV system installed,it's possible to turn the meter backwards.This means that instead of a home buying power from the grid,the home is selling power to the grid,and this is usually done in the form of credits.With the right PV system on a home or businessthe expense for electricity, which could be many thousands of dollars a yearcould be reduced to nearly zero.Solar energy systems are good for the environmentand they can save a lot of money on energy in the long run.Endependence.info