Solar Learning Center
What exactly is Solar Photovoltaic?
Photovoltaic solar uses special panels that are usually mounted on your roof that actually generate electricity when the sun shines on them. That electricity is then used to power your home. Your home is still hooked up to the local utility, however. For those times when your home requires more electricity than your photovoltaic system can generate, the extra needed power flows into your home from the utility, just like it does now. Whenever your photovoltaic system is generating more electricity than your home needs, it is automatically sent back to your utility which, in effect, causes your electric meter to run backwards. Your electric meter keeps track of the electricity that you bought from your electric company and how much you sold to your electric company. This will be reflected on your electric bill. If you bought more electricity than you sold, you will only pay for the difference. If you sold your utility more than you bought in a month you will receive a credit to be used at a future time. This all works automatically and without any intervention from you.
What exactly is Solar Thermal (or a solar hot water heater)?
Solar thermal uses a special panel that is usually mounted on your roof that has a series of copper tubing and heat absorption fins mounted inside it. This panel is connected to an oversized hot water heater by insulated copper tubing that carries water from the hot water heater to the panel on the roof and then back down again in a continuous loop. A small pump circulates the water in this loop whenever the water in the panel is hotter than the water in the hot water heater. In most cases the sun can provide nearly all your hot water needs, even in the middle of the winter. By using highly insulated hot water heaters, the water heated during the day will still be available for bathing the following morning and, often, even after a day or two of rain. The hot water heater still has a conventional heating element but it is generally only needed when there is extended periods of rainy weather that lasts more than a couple of days. It is surprising how much water can be heated even on cloudy days. While a solar thermal system doesn’t actually generate electricity, it reduces your electric bill substantially because you are no longer using electricity to generate the majority of your hot water. In most cases, heating your hot water conventionally uses more electricity than anything in your home except air conditioning.
(863) 382-1000 (office)
(863) 446-1056 (mobile)
One Solar
3202 Sparkling Drive
Sebring, FL 33870
3202 Sparkling Drive
Sebring, FL 33870
State Certified Solar Contractor #: CVC56706