How does a photovoltaic solar system work?

Photovoltaic System Array

Photovoltaic (PV) cells linked together create panels multiple panels are called a solar array. Solar arrays can mount on the ground using frames or stand alone poles, but rooftop mounting is the most popular as it converts sunlight directly into electricity.

PV cells convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity using semi-conducting materials (silicon, for example). The DC current feeds through wires into a combiner box mounted either on your roof or the side of your building.

Net Meter

Allows the PV system to interconnect with the utility grid. Excess electricity will spin the meter backwards.

AC Disconnect

A required on/off switch that separates the inverter from the rest of the home or business. The AC disconnect also allows you to cut off the energy flow in an emergency and isolates the solar electricity from the building’s AC electrical grid. Electricity flows into your building’s grid through a unique, backwards spinning net meter.

PV Inverter

An electronic circuit that converts direct current (DC) from the solar PV array to alternating current (AC). The inverter will deliver the same quality power that utility companies deliver to residences and businesses.

DC Disconnect

A required safety on/off switch that separated the photovoltaic array from the inverter (may be integrated into the inverter).
The DC disconnectallows you to cut off the energy flow in an emergency. An inverter changes the DC current into alternating current (AC) current, since most buildings use AC.

Combiner Box

Combines the output of several solar photovoltaic source circuits.

Three Types of Photovoltaic Solar Electric Systems

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Your location and electrical needs determine which photovoltaic installation is right for you. Our custom-engineered solutions can offset your electric bill by 10% or 100%.

Grid-Tied

Your building draws electricity first from your PV solar system. If your photovoltaic installation doesn’t produce enough power, the utility grid provides supplemental power.

Conversely, if the PV system produces more power than you need, the excess electricity feeds back into the grid through your backward-spinning net meter.

In Colorado, an owner is credited at wholesale rates for every kilowatt of back-fed electricity. It is tallied up at the end of a year, and often the owner will receive a refund check from their utility company.

Grid-Tied Battery with Back-up

Power from the photovoltaic system first charges a battery bank. Once the batteries are full, the power feeds into the building’s electrical grid, or the utility grid if the building doesn’t need the electricity.

During a power failure on sunny days, the photovoltaic system continues to produce without using the battery reserves. At night or when it’s cloudy, power comes from the batteries.

This system is useful where there are frequent power outages, especially if you run electrical devices that need power at all times, because it provides reliable power in a blackout.

Off-Grid System

For remote locations where the utility company decides it is too expensive to bring in utility power.

Off-grid systems function completely disconnected from the utility grid and usually operate in conjunction with a battery system and a backup generator.

So choose a photovoltaic system?

• • Locally-produced energy
  • No harmful emissions
  • No moving parts
  • No noise
  • Energy independence
  • Scalable power a single battery or an entire village
  • 25 years of warranted energy
  • Pays for itself within its lifetime
  • No price increases
  • Years of free power

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