Solar Photovoltaics (PV) Basics

Photovoltaic’ is a marriage of two words: ‘photo’, meaning light, and ‘voltaic’, meaning electricity. Photovoltaic panels form part of a solar PV system, creating energy from sunlight.

Solar Cells

Solar cells are the basic building blocks of a PV system and consist of semiconductor materials mainly made out of silicon. When sunlight is absorbed by these materials, the solar energy knocks electrons loose from their atoms. This phenomenon is called the “photoelectric effect.” These free electrons then travel into a circuit built into the solar cell to form electrical current. Only sunlight of certain wavelengths will work efficiently to create electricity. PV systems can still produce electricity on cloudy days, but not as much as on a sunny day. The performance of a solar (or PV) cell is measured in terms of its efficiency at converting sunlight into electricity. There are a variety of solar cell materials available, which vary in conversion efficiency.

Solar Modules

A photovoltaic module is an array of photovoltaic cells pre-arranged on a single mounting mold. The type of module is therefore determined by the cells that compose the nodule itself. There are three common cell technologies namely monochrystalline,polycrystallnine and multicrystalline

Basic Solar PV System components

Overview of Energy Efficiency

Before installing a Solar Photovoltaic (PV) system, it is critical that we are aware of what our clients’ electricity consumption is as well as potential opportunities for energy saving. This is due to the fact that we need to provide our clients with a system that will cater for their requirements and not leave them frustrated because the system generates less power than they actually consume.  An electrical energy audit will provide our clients with concise daily statistics of their electricity consumption. This is measured at various intervals during the day and a comprehensive report is compiled which demonstrates their consumption.The report allows us  to visually see when most of their electricity is being consumed.  Knowing their daily electricity consumption allows them to make changes within their homes or offices to reduce their electricity usage, thereby offering them cost-savings through initiatives such as:

• Replacement of conventional light bulbs with energy saving bulbs
• Installation of meters to visualize and control of the own consumption
• Switching off lights and appliances when not needed
• Installation of solar water heating systems
• Installation of occupancy sensors in buildings