How the heck does solar power work?
In one single hour, the amount of power from the sun that strikes the Earth is more than the entire world consumes in a year.
Let’s just sit on that for a sec. Isn’t that factoid astonishing? The sun’s energy is free, clean, reliable and has the potential to provide independence and self-sufficiency of energy for communities who need it most. Seeing that we have this amazing resource of energy, surely the sun can solve all our energy problems - right?
Yet we all know it’s all more convoluted than that. We have politics, vested interests in fossil fuels and greed to grapple with. And although the sun has a pretty flawless case for success, these conflicting interests hinder progression of renewable energy.
But if you have the means to install solar on your space, all power to you. It might sound like a grand statement, but Australia is the sunniest place in the whole world. So we’re well placed here for a solar revolution, armed with subsidies and schemes to support homes and businesses to acquire their solar setup.
On average, once you convert to solar, sun-generated energy will replace 30-60% of your electricity bills, since you’ll no longer need to buy electricity from a provider.
When your solar panels generate more electricity than you can use at one time, your system will feed that extra energy back into the grid. Your power company will then pay you for that electricity, as credit on your electricity bill. So there you go, a free resource making you money. Seems like a no brainer.
Infographic by Small Matters - please, share it around!
In a nutshell: Solar energy takes the energy of the sun’s rays when it hits solar panels and turns it into electricity. But let’s look at the process.
Big props to the Australian Energy Foundation for putting this so well in plain-speak:
DIRECT SUNLIGHT
During the day, sunlight creates electricity as soon as it hits a solar panel.THE SOLAR PANELS
Solar panels are made from silicone (a hybrid between a synthetic rubber and a synthetic plastic polymer). Silicone produces electricity when UV light touches it. Meaning that your solar panels convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity.
3. TO THE INVERTER!
Your solar panels send that DC gathered from the solar panels electricity into an inverter that converts it into alternating current (AC). Appliances generally require AC electricity to function.
4. TO THE SWITCHBOARD!
Your inverter sends AC solar electricity to your main switchboard, which then sends it on to your appliances. Any appliances that are running use this electricity instead of purchasing power from the grid. This means you don't need to purchase as much electricity from your electricity retailer, saving you $$$ and making you independent!
5. TO THE SMART METER
A smart meter tracks and records the energy flow in this whole process for you. It also notices when your solar panels are producing more electricity that you need, so your smart meter will automatically feed the excess solar electricity into the grid.
6. BACK TO THE GRID!
Your smart meter’s connection to the grid allows your electricity retailer to credit you for that excess electricity and also allows your home to automatically draw power from the grid when required.
How does going solar actually help the environment?
A solar power system that links into the grid is invaluable - it takes demand off the local centralised power station, meaning you are using more sustainable energy, versus coal or gas energy. When power travels through power lines, 20% of power can be lost, but if the power is being centralised by being generated and used in the same spot, you simply don’t need as much of it.
It’s true that manufacturing solar system components, such as the panels, requires some energy, creating anything new does. However, just one year of a typical solar system’s renewable power generation completely offsets the energy used to produce it.
Solar panels are becoming increasingly common (hooray!). You’ve most likely seen a few in your time. Although they are taking on more interesting forms than the huge black panels that we’ve come to know, new designs are being developed, from these very sweet window panels that charge your phone and double as art, to HeliaSol, a more sleek and discreet solar film that can be put on windows.
What about days where there’s no sun?
Solar panels work when it’s cloudy. But of course, work best when receiving direct sun. Solar panels are powered by light, not heat, and they are actually more effective on a cooler, sunny day.
How do you get others excited about the sustainable energy you’re creating in your building
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Same goes with your solar. If no one knows you have it, you simply can’t celebrate the fact with others and track your good impact together. And things are better experienced together. Of course you don’t want to be converting to solar purely for performative “look at me” reasons. But by actively spreading awareness of the process your space is taking with converting to green energy, you instil a sense of pride in all who engage with it, pride that they are knowingly doing their bit for their families and the planet.
That’s why whenever we take positive steps in sustainability, social and cultural matters, we talk about it! We share this progress. At times, we may chew people’s ears off about it (sorry everyone), but it’s because we are proud and know that the act of planting a seed of difference in someone's mind can be a tipping point for change.
So we create physical signs explaining what the smart metre does exactly and how to read it. In our monthly newsletters, we have charts telling all our members about our wonderful progress, how much energy we’ve created. These things are quite obvious in theory, but it’s about making the time to create the tools of education and communication in a human way. By including people and doing it in a way that’s engaging and easy on the eye through our design and skills.
We’re not energy specialists by any means, but we know a thing or two about getting stakeholders excited about renewables. If you’d like to chat to us about techniques to get your space users excited about your new solar installation, give us an email.
Links to resources/further reading
Community solar projects enable businesses to install a solar system on their roof at no upfront cost. Under this model, the solar panels are funded and owned by community investors.
State schemes for homes
Solar panel rebates
The Climate Reality Project
energy.gov.au