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How Residential Solar System Works

Solar panels are typically made from silicon installed in a metal panel frame with a glass casing. When photons, or particles of light, hit the thin layer of silicon on the top of a solar panel, they knock electrons off the silicon atoms.


This PV charge creates an electric current (specifically, direct current or DC), which is captured by the wiring in solar panels. This DC electricity is then converted to alternating current (AC) by an inverter. AC is the type of electrical current used when you plug appliances into normal wall sockets.

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There are different types of inverters that can be wired to your solar system. Microinverters are becoming more popular as they allow the panels to operate independently. Thus incase of one failing out, the rest will continue to operate normally. The alternative option are string inverters which has the entire system wired to one main powerful unit. String inverters technology improved over the years allowing the attachment of optimizers on each panel. By doing so, panels operate individually allowing a higher conversion rate of DC to AC. 

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Upon conversion DC electricity to AC through the inverters, the electric meter comes into play measuring the amount being produced and amount being sent back to grid incase of excess production. Incase of a power outage, the grid shuts down and so will your solar system unless you have a battery backup.

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Excess production & Buyback programs varies depending on the utility company that services your area. If you live in Houston or Dallas and serviced under Oncor, CenterPoint or Texas New Mexico, please review the following link to learn more: https://www.texaspowerguide.com/solar-buyback-plans-texas/

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