HOW DOES IT WORK?
GRID CONNECTED
SOLAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
A solar photovoltaic system captures the sun’s energy and converts it into electricity to power your household. The solar panels have a design on your roof or the grounds on your property that when exposed to sunlight , produce
electricity in the form of Direct Current(DC). The DC power is passed through an inverter, a device that converts the DC power into Alternating Current (AC). The conversion will create the power in the form of electricity to provide the household with lighting and appliance energy for the home.
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If you use less power than you produce in a grid connected system, excess power is transferred back to the utility grid. Many state laws allow for renewable energy systems to sell excess power back to the utility grid. This is called net-metering.
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Components of the solar installation system
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Solar Panels: Solar Panels mounted on your roof or the grounds of your property convert sunlight into energy.
Inverter: An inverter transforms the DC power from solar panels to AC. This power conversion will provide the electricity to operate in your household.
Electrical Panel: The power from the inverter travels to your electrical panel to distribute electricity to your household.
Utility Meter: When your solar power system generates excess power, it flows into the grid through a utility meter. This will cause your meter to run backwards, thus gaining you a credit with the utility company.
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Utility Grid: The utility grid automatically provides power to your home when your demand exceeds your solar production.
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Net-Metering: Net-Metering legislation in Virginia states that the utility company must credit the retail rate to your account for all energy you generate and share
with the grid.