Throughout the day, solar panels are busy absorbing the sun’s rays and generating electricity for your every energy need. A solar system is made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells, and these cells are made up of materials called semiconductors absorbs the sun’s heat and light. Photovoltaic simply means they convert sunlight into electricity. So, if a solar panel needs sunlight to make energy, what happens when the sun goes down? How do solar panels work at night?
How Do Solar Panels Work at Night or When It’s Cloudy Out?
These are common questions. Solar panels don’t necessarily generate power in total darkness, but most solar systems generate more than enough energy during the daylight hours- storing extra energy.
Hooking up a solar system to the utility grid means that during a sunny day, excess energy is turned into electricity and stored for you to tap into later. That means that at night, in overcast or cloudy weather or even in the middle of a blackout, you’ll still have the energy you need to seamlessly run your business without interruption.
Net Energy Metering
Think of the grid like a large bank that you can draw power from or even deposit power to from your solar power system. Known as net-metering, your utility company will bill you for the “net” consumption for any given period and then provide you with a credit for any excess. On average, only 20-40% of a solar energy system’s output ever goes into the grid. Exported solar electricity serves nearby customers’ loads.
Forty-three states have adopted net metering policies and several others have adopted voluntary utility programs to encourage the practice (with varying levels of cooperation and success). Contact our photovoltaic design engineers for more information or visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency® (DSIRE®) to learn about your state’s current programs.
Solar power technology is continuously evolving and maybe someday we’ll have solar panels that can generate power at night. But for now, we’ll stick with net-metering!
Now is the Time to Make a Solar Investment
The U.S. government currently offers a 30 percent federal investment tax credit (ITC) eligible toward the total cost of a solar project (materials and installation). This significant tax credit will decrease to 10 percent at the end of 2016; so, if you are interested in going solar, now is the time to act in order to lock in a good price. Read more about Solar Investment Tax Credit Eligibility on our latest blog.
How Can KMB Help?
KMB Design Group delivers complete solar energy solutions for businesses from start to finish. We are a leading facility engineering firm providing photovoltaic design & energy engineering services. Our philosophy is first to understand, then provide appropriate solutions and designs, not born out of our personal preferences, but incorporating experience from previous successful projects, that align with our client’s desires.
Licensed in 50 states and in Europe, we have provided designs and engineering services for over 450 locations and 375 Megawatts (MW) for a wide range of solar installations from small scale (less than 10KW) to large scale (over 8mw).
Contact us today to find out how to put energy into your projects today!