solarterminology Description
We use gigawatts to measure how much solar energy we produce as a planet. For instance, in 2019, solar energy capacity increased by 98GW to 586GW, an increase of 20% – which was a bigger rise than any other source of power enjoyed, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
This means that your solar power system is connected to the local electricity network, meaning you can draw from or feed into the grid as needed.
The grid is the interconnected network that delivers electricity from producers to consumers. It supplies electricity to everything from homes to businesses.
Flexible solar panels are thinner, lighter, and more versatile than standard solar panels, making them perfect for off-grid, on-the-move uses – like camping or powering your boat. You can even use these solar panels for a campervan or caravan. They’re able to bend around a corner or over a bump in your roof, because they’re… Continue reading Flexible
A feed-in tariff is a type of payment from an electricity supplier. The payment is for the excess electricity your solar panels generate and feed back into the power grid.
This is a system that stores electrical energy, typically using batteries, so it can be used at a later time. This tends to be during events such as a power outage or when your solar panels are failing to produce enough electricity.
In the context of a solar inverter system, there are a number of different efficiency terms; here are the main examples: Conversion efficiency Conversion efficiency measures how much DC power captured by the solar panels is converted to usable AC power through the solar inverter. A higher conversion efficiency means there’s less energy waste. MPPT… Continue reading Efficiency
Distributed PV refers to the scattering of many small solar power systems across various locations, making up a larger energy grid. This method is used as an alternative to having just one large solar power plant.
This is the method used to connect solar panels directly to a battery. It allows for the efficient storage of the electricity produced and is especially useful during power outages. For OPENAX products, batteries are coupled with OPENAX hybrid inverters so that the DC power of batteries flows directly into the hybrid inverter – the… Continue reading DC coupling
DC power, or direct current power, is electricity that flows in one direction in a steady stream. It’s the type of power that your solar panels produce before it’s converted to AC power for use in your home.
