How Are Solar Panels Used Today

Solar energy capacity increased by 17 in 2007 reaching the total equivalent of 8 775 megawatts mw.

How are solar panels used today. Solar energy harvesting the power of the sun through the use of photo electric panels or other collection techniques is no longer just a green dream or a concept that universities and businesses experiment with. Today there are practical ways that you can make use of solar energy in your home. The solar energy industries association s 2008 u s. In the sections below we explain the different uses of solar panels.

Solar panels allow us to generate electricity which we can then use in a variety of ways. Solar panels have been consistently increasing in efficiency at about 5 annually since 2010. A pv module is an assembly of photo voltaic cells mounted in a framework for installation. The average efficiency of solar panels falls between the 17 to 19 percent efficiency range.

4 pv can also be installed on rooftops with essentially no land use impacts. Factors that affect solar panel efficiency. If you are more interested in the benefits see our article on the pros and cons of solar energy. Yes solar panels in the form of solar cells are still being used in calculators.

China has been the primary installer of solar photovoltaics which absorb the sun s light to create electricity in the world since 2013 with over 400 solar pv companies in china. The seia report tallies all types of solar energy and. Pv panels on just 0 6 of the nation s total land area could supply enough electricity to power the entire united states. Solar industry year in review found that u s.

The term solar panel is used colloquially for a photo voltaic pv module. Uses of solar panels. Solar energy deployment increased at a record pace in the united states and throughout the world in 2008 according to industry reports. Concentrating solar thermal power csp is the other method for.

Solar energy systems today can now used to power homes cars appliances businesses and cities. In 2012 more than 100 gw of solar photovoltaic pv power was installed in the world an amount capable of producing at least 110 twh of electricity every year. Probably because today more and more people are understanding the advantages of solar energy as our solar technology increases and the cost of fossil fuels rises. Solar power is one of the biggest industries in mainland china and globally china is the world s largest market for both photovoltaics and solar energy.

The highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach almost 23 percent efficiency. However they are also being used to provide solar power to entire homes and commercial buildings such as google s headquarters in california. Today solar panels and complete solar panel systems are used to power a wide variety of applications. Photo voltaic cells use sunlight as a source of energy and generate direct current electricity a collection of pv modules is called a pv panel and a system of panels is an array.

Solar energy is used today in a variety of ways.