All contemporary home solar energy systems come with an inverter as part of the system.
Energy collected from the sun is at a higher current than home and domestic electricity supplied from commercial sources.
The electricity generated from the solar panels is termed DC. This stands for direct current. This basically means that the current flows in one direction. The wiring that carries this current needs to be a heavier cable. These cables become hotter due to the increase energy carried along them. If the cable that carries this charge is too fine it can cause over heating, shorting and poor performance.
The electricity we get from our electricity wall socket in our homes is AC which means alternating current.
The inverter changes DC into AC current. AC current in our homes is at 240 Volts suitable for use with most electrical appliances.
The inverter allows the current to flow one way. The current is transformed to AC and not allowed to go back to the panel. The inverter allows the current to be used either within the house or if the panel is producing more than is being used, it can be shunted to the grid. In many countries, households are then credited if the energy produced is less than that consumed by that house.
AC and DC vary in the amount of energy they can carry also.
With DC power each battery or solar panel is designed to produce a constant voltage and cannot be changed. So a 9 volt battery will provide 9 volts of power.
Appliances that have AC or DC means that they can run on either battery power or be plugged into the wall and run on electricity.
AC voltage can be increased or decreased by a transformer. There is a transformer on the power pole outside our homes that converts it for use in our homes.
AC is safer to transfer over longer distances and gives more power. Which is why we use this form for the general public for safety and for economic reasons.
So in summary, the inverter is needed to allow the energy captured by the panels to be safely transformed into a suitable voltage for domestic use.
In over 40 countries across the world, solar is being utilised domestically more now than ever due to the concerns about global warming and renewable energy use.
As the general public become more aware of the contemporary challenges facing the worlds population, the call to action to change our practices will gain momentum. As more people gain the knowledge, more will demand affordable options and more knowledge about the pros and cons of the new energy sources. As the demand grows so too will the technology become more and more refined. How we use and view solar energy may will be different in a few years.
For options on portable solar panels, visit http://www.solarportablepanels.com/
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