Types of Solar Electric Systems

Solar panels are the most prominent components of a solar electric system however they are not the only part of a system that people should consider. Along with PV modules some other components of a solar system include inverters, batteries, and charge controllers. Different components are required depending on the type of a solar system you use.

 Solar electric systems are of different sizes and types depending upon environmental conditions, surroundings, energy need and other factors. This post discusses brief introduction of different types of solar electric system designs.

 Photovoltaic Direct Systems

The simplest type of electric solar energy system is Photovoltaic Direct System. The major component of direct system is photovoltaic panels, there are no batteries and other outside power sources attached. Due to the absence of batteries, the direct system doesn’t store electric power and produces electricity only when the sun is out. This system is good only if you want energy to power few applications of your home especially during the day time.

Off-Grid Systems

Off-Grid system is an independently working solar electric system which converts sunlight into DC electricity. It also stores DC electric power into batteries attached to it so it can be used to power DC appliances at any time of the day.  As the name indicates the off-grid system does not require any source of electricity (the grid) so it is more suitable for remote areas. Adding an inverter in off-grid system makes it capable of converting DC electricity into AC electricity. There are some other components of off-grid system used to prevent overcharge and protect the battery.

 Grid Tied System

Grid-tied system attaches to the power grid of your home sharing the energy load and reducing electricity bills. With the help of an inverter, grid-tied system converts DC electricity into AC electricity that adds into the power line of your home. It is the most common solar energy system that people prefer to install in their homes. It pulls the electricity from the grid when required and pushes it back when the energy need fulfills by the electricity produced by solar panels. It is one of the best solar power systems because it not only reduces your electricity bills but also totally eliminates it sometimes.

There is no battery to store additional electricity produced by grid-tied system. However, there are some types of grid-tied systems that include battery backup and work on the same principle as simple grid-tied systems do.

We help you decide which solar power system is the best fit for your power requirements and how. If you are planning to install solar energy system for your home contact Smith Sustainable Design for the expert’s opinion and experienced assistance in any part of PA and NJ.