Solar Photovoltaic Systems

Anyone who remembers the giant, clunky solar photovoltaic systems of the 1970s will undoubtedly remember just how shockingly inefficient they were. The first systems were 1 or 2% efficient and that figure only jumped to about 10% (at best) in the 1980s. Today, science is on the cusp of developing solar technologies that will be able to efficiently deliver direct current to inverters at efficiencies that are well in excess of some other popular technologies such as loudspeakers (8-13%) or automobiles (10-15%).

Many wonder just what are solar PV panels made of? Today, they are made of heavily refined silicon, though materials scientists are discovering new raw materials and pigments every day that have doubled efficiencies nearly overnight – though the technologies have been in the works for as long as 15 years. Other solar PV collectors are being designed that utilize plastics instead of glass. One company in Canada is actually working on a type of PV solar paint. Such innovative PV solar systems that can replace existing materials such as solar panels, photovoltaic shingles or road surfaces have the ability to update existing infrastructure with photovoltaic solar cells.

Those currently offering photovoltaic solar panels for sale are now finding the demand is far outpacing supply. Due to economic policies in some EU countries, manufacturers are preferentially selling to the EU, causing a shortage in North America that shows no sign of abating until production can be dramatically ramped up. In fact, when one finds a solar photovoltaic panel for sale in the US today, it is almost always of the less efficient and heavier types.

One of the largest challenges to using photovoltaic solar energy is the requirement of using some form of oscillation device to create alternating current (AC) from the direct current (DC) output of solar photovoltaic panels. These are called inverters, and along with batteries, have really been hiking up the cost of solar energy photovoltaics for most homeowners. Early technologies borrowed heavily from recreational vehicles (RVs) to forgo the use of inverters entirely and use 12VDC appliances and storage coupled with the use of deep-cycle marine batteries.

Thankfully, with the advent of instantaneous worldwide communication via the Internet, it’s easier than ever to find out information on solar photovoltaic energy. In the early days, people had to join clubs and newsletters to get information. As more people find out just what is PV solar power, the greater the likelihood that solar photovoltaic systems will become widely used.