Features of a solar power plant for the home: what it is and how it works, pros and cons

Solar power plants for the home are installed to save on electricity bills or to fully provide electricity to your home. It gives independence from electricity supply companies. A home solar plant can be a suitable option for powering a home located in the mountains or far away from the power line.

How home solar plants are built

Solar panels consist of interconnected solar panel modules. They use silicon wafers. They are protected by a metal backing. The solar panels are connected to a cable and connected to an inverter to directly feed electricity into the home's grid. The solar panels can be connected to a battery that stores energy and feeds it to appliances as needed.

Types of solar power plants:

• Stand-alone solar power plants for the home convert light into electric current. It is stored in a battery and fed into the home's electrical grid. Sensors monitor when the battery is full. When it is full, the panel pauses the conversion of light to electricity.
• Grid-connected solar mini-grid power plants without a battery. Electric current is routed directly into the general power grid of the home at all times. In many countries, the excess electricity generated can be sold to the state at a green rate. This is done by installing a meter that records the input and output of electricity. If the panels don't produce enough electricity, it is fed from the supplier's general grid and paid for at the rate. When the home power plant generates power again, the supply from the public grid is stopped.
• A hybrid home solar power plant with a battery can feed excess electricity back into the general electric grid. They are the most practical because they allow you to store electricity or sell it. Hybrid solar home plants cost about a third more than other models.

Pros and cons of solar power plants for the home

Pros:

• Autonomy from electricity suppliers.
• Partial savings on electricity. Electricity comes from the solar panel or, if necessary, from the general grid.
• Electricity can be stored in batteries and used on cloudy days or at night.
• Low operating costs. Solar panels last approximately 20 years and do not require frequent maintenance.
• Solar panels are mounted on roofs, walls of the house completely or partially. This saves space.
• Thanks to clean energy, greenhouse gas emissions from furnace or gas heating are reduced.

Cons:

• High costs for the purchase of panels and additional equipment.
• Installation of solar panels requires a large area that is maximally illuminated by the sun.
• Power output is unstable - depends on whether the weather is sunny or cloudy, how high the sun goes, what is the duration of daylight. In winter and on cloudy days, panels receive less sunlight and produce less energy.
• Most models of solar panels for your home are installed permanently. When they are removed and reinstalled, their properties are reduced. If you have to move, you may not be able to take your home solar plant with you.
• Solar stations are installed and serviced by employees of specialized companies. If the house is in a remote area, specialists can be difficult to find.

Although solar panels are not cheap, the costs pay off over time. Independence from suppliers and various energy crises gives stability and security. On the energy produced by the home solar plant, you can earn several thousand dollars a year, depending on its capacity.