With the demand for energy all around the world and strong focus on the renewable energy sector, it is the best time to know about solar panel in South Africa. For the past years, you may have noticed that there is a great adoption of the energy that delivers its most efficiency. And, it is quite better than the energy received from fossil fuels. Do you know what that is? Solar energy!
Yes, solar energy is a renewable energy source, where you can expect a constant supply of power from the sun all year round in almost all countries. And this is the significant reason to seek high quality solar panel in South Africa for reaping the best advantages from sunlight and natural energy.
Let this guide help you to better understand solar panels, their importance to the environment and their benefits.
Solar Panels – What Are They?
To be put in simple terms, Solar panels are the devices that are intended to convert light into electricity. In general, a solar panel is a set of interconnected silicon solar cells which are connected together to form a circuit. Solar panels are also referred to as photovoltaic which seems to carry the meaning of “light-electricity.”
If you look into a typical solar panel in South Africa, you can find a glass layer on the front side of the panel having an insulating layer. And, the back side of the panel will have a protective back sheet.
Solar panels help in absorbing the power from the sun and create an electric current. This electric current will travel through the wires of solar panels to produce energy. Since a single solar panel is constrained to limited electricity production, solar power system installation for home or business needs multiple solar panels.
Function Of Solar Panels Explained – How Does A Solar Panel In South Africa Work?
You may have noticed solar panels on rooftops, but have you ever thought about the functioning of them? Do you wish to know the science of solar behind the panels? Let us help you here, right in this guide.
Solar panels act as a medium with a series of solar cells mounted on it thus enabling them to generate electricity with their unique properties. It is the solar cells that the solar panels contain which help to convert sunlight into electricity.
Such solar cells are made up of thin layers of a ‘semiconductor’ material, which is called silicon between glass layers. These individual cells aid in absorbing Sun’s photons, resulting in the generation of an electric current in the cell. This process of a solar panel in South Africa is said to be achieved through a process referred to as the photovoltaic effect.
The electricity that leaves the panel will be direct current (DC). It then passes through an inverter where it will be converted to 240V alternating current (AC). Thus you can make use of the generated electricity for your home/business appliances.
Let us see the above processes that took place in solar power generation. Just read the steps below to know how a solar panel in South Africa produces electricity, in steps.
- The rays of sun will hit the cells of the solar panels.
- The photovoltaic cells of the panel will absorb the energy of the sun.
- It will then be converted it to DC electricity
- The generated electricity will flow to the edges of the panels, and also via a conductive wire.
- The conductive wire takes the generated electricity to the inverter.
- The solar inverter will convert the DC electricity from the solar modules into AC electricity. Now the AC current that you can use for the appliances is ready.
- Electricity flows and it will power up the devices.
- The excess electricity that is produced by the solar panel in South Africa will be fed to the electric grid.
How Solar Power Is A Great Alternative Energy Resource?
Solar energy is one of the most abundant and renewable energy resources in the world. The need for clean energy is becoming increasingly important in South Africa and all over the world. Energy production from renewables is considered as a cost effective and environmentally friendly method to get the required amount of energy for our society.
If you are thinking about investing in a solar panel in South Africa, but find it to be a huge money spent, then we have some words for you. Typically, solar panels have the capability of yielding good ROI for the investors. Furthermore, it has been proved that the solar panels give you financial payback within 19.3 to 34.4 years.
Solar systems can be used anywhere in the world and they bring relatively less cost of operation and minimum maintenance costs. The term renewable energy indicates that the energy is derived from a natural resource which can’t be depleted or present constantly in the world.
Apart from the general financial advantages regarding electricity, there are also some other significant benefits when you invest in a solar panel in South Africa and switch to solar power.
Free Source of Energy
As known, the sun is the largest source of the free energy resources on earth. It is powerful enough to fulfill the demands of the electricity of the world for a year in a few minutes. It is an eternal and sustainable energy resource as well. The benefits that you can gain from solar panels and the energy produced from it are best appreciated in the long run.
With a longer period of use with your solar panel in South Africa, the better you can save money through cutting out the costs spent on electricity. As mentioned earlier, since solar systems come with low maintenance costs, it is truly a good alternative to traditional energy resources.
Reduced Air Pollution
If you look into the conventional energy resource fossil, it ends up in creating a lot of pollutants. This causes air pollution to the environment. Such air pollution is not only bad for the earth, but also leads to harmful impacts for our health. With solar energy, you eliminate the chances of air pollution by the fossils.
Since the energy created from a solar panel in South Africa is a clean source of energy, there is no room for pollution to the environment.
Make the country energy independent
Electricity from solar power means there is an additional source of energy for the demands. Solar energy helps countries to reduce their dependence on the non-renewable resources of energy like fossil fuels. One of the major advantages with solar power is it is a clean and natural resource. Hence it is scalable.
So, you can deploy the use of solar power in residential and commercial applications. If you are thinking about solar energy on a small scale, you can feed the extra energy produced back into the electricity grid. Which means you are able to generate more energy than you need with a solar panel in South Africa.
Environmental Impacts are very low
When compared to fossil fuels, solar energy leaves very low impacts on the environment. As there is no associated fuel combustion with solar energy generation, there are negligible greenhouse emissions. Moreover, solar systems help in reduction of carbon emission that happens due to powering the mines and due to mineral processing in South Africa.
If the energy source doesn’t involve fossil fuels, then it is very obvious that you are going to lessen the amount of water required. Other resources such as nuclear energy and hydro power are considered to be consuming a lot of water in the process of energy production. With a solar panel in South Africa, you can create energy without water which means you leave no negative impacts on the environment. Of course, this will be quite useful in solving the water scarcity issues.
Solar Panel Installation Guide – Steps For Going Solar
Learned about some of the benefits of solar power? Found useful? Ready to take the next great step of installing solar panels? There are certain steps involved in the process before you are ready to invest in a solar panel in South Africa.
Analyze your financial ability for solar system
The foremost step when it comes to investing in a solar system is to have a look at your financial conditions. You can check with your energy usage consumption for better clarity on the need of energy production requirements. Both summer and winter seasons have their own energy demands, in summer the electricity may go up due to usage of ventilation systems such as AC. While with winter, you may use water heaters which also tend to raise the electricity bill.
Based on the average energy consumption that you have monthly and the bill paid for that, you can find out the cost of installing a solar panel in South Africa for your home or business. After this, you can determine your financial options to go with solar.
Find the right location
There are some guidelines to be remembered for installing solar panels on a property. As the pitch and the roof direction can bring effects on the performance of the solar system, it is necessary that you choose the perfect location where there is maximum exposure of sun in daytime for better yields. You can anticipate good results when you install solar panels on south-facing roofs.
If you have space that has north facing roofs, then you will not receive much sunlight and hence the energy production can’t be efficient.
Choice of panel model and installation company
Your choice of company for a solar panel in South Africa makes all those differences when bringing the final result. The selection of panel and its price will vary based on the manufacturer/distributor, your aim for the installation, model of the panel and particular requirements. You can make the best choice by analyzing your requirements, planned budget and the savings you can gain. Choosing a brand that has a good reputation in the industry and able to offer different solutions within your range can make your solar project a great success and outcome.
Find the solar panel distributor/supplier
So, you have come up with the space for installation. Now is the time to find the developer for installing a solar panel in South Africa. Different types of developers will have their expertise in their unique areas and put in the effort to find the right developer for the right installation solution.
Get into the contract with the supplier chosen
If you have come up with the right choice of a solar panel supplier who has met your expectations, then is the time to look after some more crucial information like warranties, pricing terms, payback periods, etc.
Based on the complexity of the solar system, maintenance for it also varies. Hence you should whether the warranty includes regular services. The installer of your solar panel in South Africa will make a site visit to ensure that everything is in order and the site is suitable for installation.
Site evaluation
In the site evaluation process, the installer will verify the system design planned for, check for roof, battery placement and electrical setup. If there are changes recommended in the design, it has to be reviewed and approved by you. Permit approval for installing your solar panel in South Africa will also be done at this stage, which means the system is in accordance with the safety codes. There may be some fees related to the permitting process and it varies based on state and city.
Arrange the installation time
It is the step where you have to find a time schedule that can work best for you for installing the solar panel. Before you finalize anytime schedules, make sure of the installer’s availability. Hence you don’t have to alter any of your plans.
Install the system
The size of your solar panel in South Africa and its system determines the duration of installation. If it is a small set up, it may take around one to two days for completion. However, with large installations, it may take around a week. Once the installation is complete and your system is set up, now you can start generating power from the system.