Solar basics you need to know before you buy…!
Key words:
Wh = Watt hour – the unit in which power is measured. Units consumed are shown on your electrical bill in kwh. 1000 Wh ( watt hours ) = 1 kWh ( kilowatt hour )
kWp = kilowatt Peak – maximum demand or peak load, this refers to electricity consumed when all items are on at once. This is not how many kW you used in and hour but the peak consumption for that moment.
Important note when calculating off grid Inverter size.
Ah = Amp Hour – battery available autonomy over a certain period of hours, we calculate it back to kWh to size your systems backup time for use.
100Ah x 12v battery = 1 200Wh x 50% D.O.D ( Depth of discharge ) = 600 Wh capability.
Pv = Photovoltaic panels – form part of a solar PV system, the Pv solar panels create DC energy from sunlight.
DC = Direct current – Electrical current mostly found in batteries / Pv panels. DC current is inverted to AC current for use in homes or businesses, both can be calculated in wh / kwh.
AC = Alternating current – Electrical current mostly found in home appliances or electric motors. AC current is used in homes or businesses and are the units you pay for in kwh.
How do Pv panels work?
Pv panels convert solar energy (sun radiation) into an electrical DC current and then a solar Inverter converts this to alternating current (AC), which can then be utilized as kw electricity in your home or business. This is not thermal heating like solar geysers but radiation transfer to electrical current for household or business use.
Pv panels work even when it’s overcast. Clouds do not stop the solar UV rays. Power production from Photovoltaic Solar panels actually work most efficiently in cooler temperatures. Completely overcast rainy days will have an impact but so will hot sunny days.
How many kwh can Pv panels array generate?
Location: The amount of radiation per square meter (kwh) will depend on where the system is installed. This may vary in different countries due to the amounts of annual sunshine & depend upon latitude and other environmental items to be taken into account. The table below gives examples of kwh per square meter generation for 1 kWp of PV panels installed.
Bloemfontein 1 kw Pv Array x 5.5 hours per day = 5.5kwh production x 365 days per year = 2007kwh
Sun hours vs 24 hours day cycle – Bloemfontein
5.5 hours effective sun 09:00-15:00 > Daily Load
18.5 hours in-effective sun 15:00-09:00 > Nightly load (Batteries)A solar power system is a remarkably attractive investment for South African businesses and homeowners. Power your home or business at a lower cost while reducing your carbon footprint. Join the growing number of clean renewable energy users and transform your premises into an environmentally conscious and sustainable entity.
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