solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity. This conversion of sunlight can be done with the use of photovoltaic (PV) cells. Photovoltaic cells were initially used to power small-sized applications like a solar powered calculator with a single solar cell. Now with technology advances homes can be powered with the same solar cells interconnected into modules. The power that one solar module produces is not enough to meet the electrical requirements of an average home, so these modules are coupled together to create a photovoltaic array.

There are generally three types of solar panel systems that are currently available to be used to supply a home with solar electricity today. The first type is a grid-tied system where your solar panels are tied into your power meter. You are using both electricity supplied by your panels and when your home's electrical demand is higher than what your panels can produce it will be augmented by power from your electric company. The second available solar panel system for supplying a home with solar electricity is a grid-tie with battery backup. With this system you are collecting electricity from you panels, filling your batteries for when your electrical demand is greater than what your solar power system is producing or in the cases of emergency. With both of these systems all excess electricity that is produced is sent back to the power company normally creating a credit to your account or a payment to you as the homeowner. The final system is a stand-alone system. Very similar to the grid-tied system with battery backup except that you are completely disconnected or maybe never connected to a major utility provider for your area.

The local state and federal government are now offering tax incentives and deductions for people that install solar power systems in their homes and businesses, making solar power a more affordable possibility. These incentives range from tax deductions to direct rebates for the initial component and installation cost of your system. The laws are now written that any maintenance or system upgrades would be eligible for these incentives. As stated earlier, you may have found it odd you that the power company would pay you for the excess power that you produce since they are in the business of generating and selling power. But, since they are now required to use a certain percentage of alternative energy sources, it is by far cheaper to pay a customer who is producing solar electricity then it is to build a large solar facility. Depending on where you live and your local power company, they will either install a separate power meter which will allow you to sell your excess solar electricity back to them, or they will retrofit your existing meter to allow it to spin backwards when you are generating more power than you are demanding.

Everyday the sun provides us with free clean renewable energy. We only have to collect it and turn it into a usable form. Over the past ten years the cost of solar panels and solar power systems has been cut in half, making it more economical to harness this resource. Fossil fuels are going to be depleted; we still have 550 million years of sunlight left. Start making your own solar power today.