Power Switch News

Most consumers are familiar with solar power systems that are connected to the grid – perhaps visions of solar panels on rooftops come to mind in which the solar photovoltaic (PV) system is connected with the utility wires running into a home. But what many people do not realize is that solar power systems have many off-grid applications. By “off-grid,” I mean those that aren’t hooked up to the larger electrical system at large. In fact, this is one of the major benefits of solar power s …

Harnessing solar energy for heat and power isn’t a new concept. In fact, as early as the late eighteenth century, scientists began experimenting with ways to capture solar rays to be used for heating. The earliest solar technology was known as the “solar oven,” which used an insulated box and layers of glass to achieve temperatures as high as 230 degrees for cooking. But solar technology experienced a major breakthrough in 1839, when a French scientist named Edmond Becquerel converted so …

Mother Nature’s NatureIn any given hour, the sun and wind are capable of providing us with more energy than we could use in a year. Obviously, the sun isn’t always shining, nor is the wind always blowing. So, the biggest obstruction on our path to a full-scale transition from burning fossil fuels to using solar, wind and other renewable energies to meet our energy requirements appears to be the intermittent nature of Mother Nature. Acid rain, ozone depletion and climate change clearly p …

A main concern for many individuals who thinking about investing in a solar photovoltaic (PV) system is whether or not the electricity it provides will be constant enough to meet their electricity demands. This is a valid concern considering that the sun doesn’t shine all day long, nor does it generate the same quantities of radiant heat at all hours of the day. Put simply, solar is a variable resource. A grid-tied solar power system resolves this issue. A grid-tied solar power system is …

Many home and business owners who are thinking about going solar are intimidated by solar technology; they don’t understand what it really is or how it works and this can be a major deterrent from taking action, since not understanding something can lead to disbelief in how it will really works. Fortunately, the reality is that solar photovoltaic technology – technology used to convert sunlight into electricity – is actually quite simple when you break down the solar power system compone …