Solar power plant for the home: what it is and how it works, pros and cons

Disruptions in the centralized power supply, the crisis, the high price per kilowatt per hour worry many people. What if there is no electricity at all? I would like to become independent from energy supplier companies. And this is quite realistic, if you install a solar power plant for your home. They consist of such components: silicon panels, inverters, batteries and electrical wiring. Let's look at the features of solar power plants for the home.

Types of home solar plants

Solar power plants for the home come in three types:

• Grid-connected solar plants feed electricity into a private home's grid connected to the public electric system. When a surplus of energy occurs, it is routed to the outside grid. The energy provider pays the owner of the solar plant an amount corresponding to the electricity received. The flow of electricity is counted by a meter that works for both directions. When the plant does not receive power from the sun, the electricity comes from the centralized grid and is paid at the supplier's rate.
• Stand-alone solar systems can provide all or part of your home with electricity. It can be stored and stored in batteries. During the day, use the solar energy that comes directly from the panels, and at night that which comes from the battery. Stand-alone solar power plants are especially popular in remote communities and single buildings.
• Hybrid solar power plants work as both stand-alone and grid-tied. They can be configured in different ways.

Pros and cons of solar power plants for the home

Pros:

• Partial or complete independence from centralized power supply. Whether a solar plant can fully supply the house depends on the capacity of devices, their number and the power needs of the equipment. 
• Savings on bills. If there will be a full supply of electricity from an autonomous solar plant, you can stop cooperating with the energy supply company. If you only use solar power partially, the supplier company's bill will be lower.
• If there is a surplus of electricity can be sold to the state and earn a few thousand dollars a year on this. 
• It doesn't take much time or money to maintain a solar plant.
• Technology in the field of solar energy is developing, and the capacity of the systems grows, the price goes down. 
• Solar power plants are independent of air temperature and atmospheric pressure. They are installed in lowlands, on plains, in the mountains. 
• There is no negative impact on the environment at the time of operation of the system.
• Management of the solar plant for the home is simple, remote control is possible.

Cons of solar stations:

• Buying and installing the system is expensive. It is good if there is a sufficient amount of savings. The costs will pay off over time. Autonomy gives peace of mind that the crisis now will not leave your home without electricity.
• How much energy a solar panel will produce depends on the intensity and duration of sunlight. On a cloudy day, less energy will be generated. Therefore, it is important that the batteries are high-capacity and stored for bad weather. However, batteries have a high cost and will have to be replaced with new ones over time.
• Large solar panels are needed to fully power the house. The roof surface for their installation is sometimes not enough. Then the panels are partially placed in front of the building, but they take up useful space. Alternatively, the panels may even be installed on walls or on a solid support structure.

Make a one-time investment in a solar plant and become independent of supply companies and energy crises - it's worth it. Even if solar power becomes not the main, but an additional source of power, it will reduce the cost of utility bills. And if anything, there will always be something to charge your smartphone and a place to connect your refrigerator.