Now that I’ve had my panels installed for over a full month, do they really work as advertised?
The short answer is Yes! I’ve been very happy with the amount of electricity produced by the panels, in spite of the fact that this August has been quite rainy. Especially when compared to June and July which were sunny and hot! But that’s life in Eastern Pennsylvania. We have real weather here!
Two power inverters
Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have been a hot topic of discussion for decades, but it hasn’t been until recently that they have become truly economically viable. Instead, they were purchased for a variety of other reasons. But now, it can be far better than money in the bank.
Last year, my wife and I started evaluating options for installing a solar system. We wanted something that looked aesthetically pleasing, was cost effective, and provided enough power to significantly offset our electric bills. Initially, we thought that we were going to go with “solar shingles”. These have really come a long way in the last couple of years both in cost and efficiency.
I recently overheard a conversation that made me think. A man, who was clearly respected by his friends as someone knowledgeable, commented that solar wasn’t ready for prime time because it isn’t efficient enough. But is this true?
The simple answer is “no.” Solar is plenty efficient. The solar electric panels that go on your roof are 15%-20% efficient. Solar hot water systems are about three times more efficient since they heat water directly. So the most intelligent system consists of a couple of solar hot water panels and a roof full of photovoltaic (electric) panels.
But still, you might be waiting for systems to get much more efficient. After all, semiconductors get faster and cheaper every year. If you did this, you’d be making a mistake.
