Solar Panels Installation: Complete Beginner Guide

Solar Panel Systems for homes are increasing in popularity and decreasing in price. Many homeowners are discovering the advantages of solar power and you may have even seen quite a few systems being installed in your own neighborhood.

If you’re solar curious and want to learn more it can all seem a bit overwhelming and you're definitely going to wonder: How much does it cost to install a solar system, and how much money will I really save on my electricity bill?

In this guide, we’ll provide you a general overview of solar energy so you can have a strong foundation of knowledge and make the best possible educated decisions regarding solar power for your home.

What is a solar panel?

A solar panel (or photovoltaic panel) is a panel made of solar cells. Solar cells are the essential component by which light is converted into electrical energy and they are usually made of crystalline silicon. Each solar panel usually contains from 32 up to 96 solar cells.

Depending on the way solar cells are made, solar panels are categorized as a polycrystalline, mono-crystalline, or thin film. The first two categories, which are the most common types of solar panels, are made of crystalline solar cells. The third category (thin film) is made of amorphous silicon.

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How it works:

Solar cells produce electricity by converting the tremendous solar energy that the earth receives every day in the form of sunlight and more specifically in the form of photons. Most typical commercial solar solutions convert sunlight to electrical energy at an average efficiency of 3 – 17%

First of all, the top layer of solar cells has an anti-reflective coating which helps them collect as much light as possible. Right below, we have the main layer of a solar cell which is basically a sandwich of two silicon layers. These two layers are specially treated so that the upper layer has a surplus of electrons while the bottom layer has a shortage of electrons.

In order to have a complete system that will produce electricity for your home, you need the following components:

a) Solar Panels

b) Solar Panel Mounting Structures

c) An Inverter

d) An electrical panel with the necessary switches and circuit breakers

e) DC and AC electrical cables

f) The Power meter.

Savings:

How much you actually save depends on a number of factors, the most important of which include:

How much electricity your home or business uses: By the fact, the average annual electricity consumption for U.S. residence was 10,766-kilowatt hours, an average of 897 kWh month, and a typical domestic solar installation aims to offset 70-90% of your monthly usage.

Of course, the exact savings on your electricity bills depend on other factors. If your family has electric cars that need daily charging, your electricity requirements will be much higher. Where you live matters a lot. Sunnier is better.

Pricing:

In 2019, The average cost of a residential solar panel is $2.99 per watt, so with an average solar panel system size of 5 kilowatts, you are looking at an average cost of $14,950 before any tax credits or incentives. The equipment makes up the majority of the cost but permits and labor are also factored in.

Keep in mind the cost of solar has been steadily decreasing over time.

The best way to get a good prices on solar it to compare quotes from many different installers.

Initial costs, but marginal cost drops to zero once the price of installation is paid off.

Are you ready to go solar in New Jersey? Get in touch with Advanced Solar & Energy Solutions.