In a nutshell, solar panels convert sunlight into electricity and the basic component is the solar cell known technically as a photovoltaic (PV) cell. It’s made of a silicon semiconductor material, which absorbs photons from the sun and releases electrons generating a flow of electricity.


To generate adequate electricity to power a home solar panels are usually arranged in arrays and each array consists of multiple solar cells connected in series and parallel to form the larger unit. The electricity generated by the solar panels is in the form of direct current (DC) electricity This is then converted into alternating current (AC) electricity using an inverter. AC electricity is the standard type of electricity used in homes to run domestic appliances we use every day.

Solar panels work best in areas with lots of sunlight. They can still generate electricity on cloudy days although the output amount will be reduced so the good news is, your solar will perform in Winter. The amount of electricity generated by solar panels also depends on their efficiency, which is determined by the quality of the solar cells and the design of the panel.
 Bear in mind, not all solar panels are the same.

The two main types of home solar panels are grid-tied and off-grid. Grid-tied  panels are connected to the local electrical grid and generate electricity that is fed back into the grid. Homeowners can offset their energy consumption and therefore costs with solar energy. Off-grid solar panels are not connected to the grid and use batteries to store the electricity generated. This allows homeowners to use solar energy even when there is no sunlight.