Home Solar Electricity

To generate electricity from the sun requires the use of photo voltaic (PV) cells. These cells convert sunlight falling on them directly into electricity.

PV cells are usually comprised of two layers semi conducting material - silicon with current production technology. When sunlight shines on the PV cell it creates a differential field across the two layers. This voltage differential flowing produces an electric current which can then be used directly of stored in a battery for later use. The higher the intensity of sunlight, the higher the current.

Are they suitable for home solar power?

Well... yes and no.

Yes they are readily available in both DIY and electronics stores. They will certainly generate electricity during the day. The problem unfortunately is cost. It will typically cost you $10,000 to have a 2.5KW system installed. This may generate a third to half of your annual electricity. Even if you live in an area with high energy prices this will only save you $500 a year. The payback period, assuming no maintenance is 20 years. Unfortunately battery technology can't provide a no maintenance scenario. When was the last time you car battery lasted 20 years?

The initial costs must be reduced for this to be cost-effective. Luckily there are some DIY solutions than can be installed for a few hundred dollars which will reduce this payback period dramatically. I'm going to cover these DIY home solar power projects in a later posts.