Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. They’re made up of a lot of smaller cells that are connected together by wiring, each cell generates electricity when sunlight hits it, and that power flows into an inverter which converts it to Alternating Current for you to use inside your house. Each panel creates only a certain amount of energy so that is why solar panels are typically grouped together to provide more power.

There are several different types of Solar panels used in residential installations!

1.Monocrystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Panels

• These are the most efficient type of solar panels at the present time.They produce more electricity than the other available types on the market. These panels have a higher silicon content, and they are more expensive, but you will not need as many of them and they are ideal for roof top installation.

2.Polycrystalline Silicon Panels

• These panels have lower silicon levels than mono panels which makes them less expensive to produce, but they’re also less efficient. Their excellent construction design will help offset the efficiency loss, and they are also good for roof top installations.

3.Thin Film Silicone Panels

• Thin Film Panels are inexpensive to produce and look good, however, they are not very efficient so you will probably not see any of these on residential roof tops.

4.Building Integrated Photovoltaic Solar Panels

• An example of this type of Solar Panel would be solar roofing shingles, because they are part of the roof design, it is a great idea, they look good, but they are just too small to be really efficient and they are very expensive.

This may surprise you, but Solar Panels are really inefficient, they range from 11%-19% efficiency, this is why it takes so many of them. In the lab, they have produced a solar panel that is 40% efficient, but they have not figured out a way to make it cost effective enough to put it in the field.

Some things that will affect the performance of your solar panels are to always try to install them on a roof top facing south, they will be much more efficient. Most solar panels do not operate well when hot, that is why there is an air gap between the solar panels and the roof. Solar panels do not function well in shaded areas so be prepared to trim those trees if necessary.

Solar energy is the energy of the future, fossil fuels have become too expensive and are too damaging to our environment. With solar energy you will reach a break even point where you will never have to pay for electricity again, but with fossil fuel they will always have us on the end of their leash.