Home solar system: Renewable energy solutions for residential users

Solar energy is a renewable source of energy that is gaining ground because of the benefits it offers. In India, sunlight is available in abundance and there is technology available to harness this energy and convert it into electric power. Solar power panels serve the purpose of absorbing solar energy and converting it to electric power through the photovoltaic (PV) effect. Most homes have a roof or a backyard which can be utilized to install solar panels and produce electricity. solar energy solution
A home solar system must provide enough electric energy to fulfil all the power requirements of a home. It should also be capable of providing AC power as traditionally all homes use AC power to operate lighting systems, gadgets, appliances and equipment such as computers, refrigerators, mixers, fans, air conditioners, TVs and music systems.
It requires the adequate number of solar panels to absorb as much solar energy as possible. When exposed to direct sunlight a typical home solar panel produces about 300 watts in one hour which means that in a normal day during summer, comprising 10 hours of sunlight, it can produce around 3000 watts or 3 kWh per day. This could vary depending on the number of hours of sunshine received during the day.
The system requires a battery which can be charged by the solar power generated and also can store electric power to be used in the night. Batteries are typically used in off-grid systems.
The system needs an inverter to convert the DC power generated to AC power so that it can be used by the appliances or devices in the home.
The entire home solar power system is interconnected with adequate and appropriate cabling and wiring to channelize the energy into a usable form.When sunlight falls on the solar panels it gets absorbed by the PV cells and the silicon semiconductors in the cells convert the solar energy into electric energy through the PV effect. This electric energy is in the form of DC power which can directly charge the battery. The DC power in the battery is sent to an inverter which converts it into AC power. This AC power is now sent to the mains in the home which in turn can power all necessary applications.