How Do Solar Panels Work?

A simple explanation is that solar panels convert sunlight into electricity that can be used immediately or stored in batteries.

The sun essentially provides an endless supply of energy. In fact, with the amount of sunlight that hits the earth in 90 minutes, we could supply the entire world with electricity for a year — all we have to do is catch it! That’s where solar panels come in.

Here’s a step-by-step overview of how home solar power works:

1. When sunlight hits a solar panel, an electric charge is created through the photovoltaic effect or PV effect.
2. The solar panel feeds this electric charge into inverters, which change it from direct current (DC) into alternate current (AC) electricity.
3. The AC electricity runs through your electrical panel and is distributed throughout your home — just like grid energy.
4. Excess solar energy is stored in batteries or pushed onto the grid to power local systems – through net metering, solar owners get credit for the excess energy they produce (offsetting the grid energy they pull off the grid when their panels aren’t producing). With battery storage, solar owners can store excess production to power their homes at night, or maybe power and electric vehicle.