Solar Power Systems

There are many uses for solar power systems. They can be used as stand-alone or off-grid systems to provide power for outdoor lighting, signs, water pumps and other small items. They can also be used to augment the regular power received from the utility company.

The advantage of stand alone systems is that they can operate with very little intervention. As an example, some businesses use solar power to charge up batteries that operate signs that light up during the night. This type of system is almost maintenance free -- besides changing the batteries every two or three years, it is a set it and forget it system.

Solar power systems can only produce electricity during daylight hours, so there must be some way to store the power if it is needed at night. Batteries are the obvious choice. The can be small nickel-cadmium batteries for small items or larger deep cycle batteries that are capable of providing power to a household.

Battery solar power systems are suitable in remote areas where connecting to existing power grids is impractical. The drawback with this type of system is the expense, batteries are expensive and have a limited life, although industrial quality deep-cycle batteries can last up to 20 years.

Another drawback with battery solar systems is that they don’t offer 100% reliability. During spells of overcast days there may not be enough sunlight to charge the batteries sufficiently, so there may be times when there is no power. If reliability is important, for example for remote health clinics,the system can have a generator backup system.

Solar power systems can also be used in conjunction with wind power. For certain areas this is the ideal combination, when the sky is overcast there is a lot of wind, and when the sky is clear there is very little wind. In this situation the combination of wind and solar power perfectly complement each other.

Those living in urban areas can use solar power in conjunction with the power they receive from the grid. If excess solar electricity is produced it turns the meter backwards for a credit. We call these systems grid-intertied and producing energy back to the grid net-metering. If excess solar electricity is produced it turns the meter backwards for a credit.
 

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