Photovoltaic Solar Installations
Photovoltaic Solar Panels take the energy produced by the sun and turn it into electricity through solar cells. There is virtually zero environmental impact and, besides the cost of the equipment, production of energy with solar panels is 100% free. Sun is converted by the panel to direct current (DC) electricity and is then sent to an inverter which converts the electricity to alternating current (AC), the kind of electricity used in your home. There is more detailed information on solar panels, photovoltaics and energy from the sun available here: http://www.explainthatstuff.com/solarcells.html
Grid-Tied
Grid-tied systems allow you to produce energy during the day and use the utilities' electricity during the night or cloudy days. The goal is to produce enough electricity in the sunny hours to cover the entire daily consumption, on average. We estimate our system designs based on NASA data for the yearly average amount of sun, so the "extra" electricity produced in the dry months can be consumed during the rainy season, when the system is producing less electricity. This system has no limits, since the electricity is provided by the grid. It is important to note that, should the grid go out, the system will shut down, too. This happens to protect the system and people who could possibly be working on the grid lines. Both ENERGUATE and EEGSA offer special meters for auto producers which will allow you to feed back your produced power and obtain credit.
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Off-Grid Off-grid systems mean exactly that; living off of the grid. There is no utility electricity used on the property and you use only what you produce. The biggest difference between grid-tied and off-grid systems is the use of batteries. In an off-grid system the excess energy you create during the day is stored in batteries and used at night or when there is no sun available. This system is the only option for remote areas that have no access to the grid electricity. Having an off-grid system you are also free from black outs or rises in the cost of electricity. It is important to design a system big enough to feed all of the used appliances, so your batteries never get drained.
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Hybrid Systems The third kind of system is a variety of "hybrid" systems. These systems combine the advantages of both previously explained systems: no limitation in your electric consumption and no dependence on the utility grid. Your panels produce electricity which is fed back to the grid in exchange for a credit. This credit does not expire and is available for your use at any given moment. Is the system big enough to produce as much power as you use, you will have no electric bill. Should the grid power go out and you inverter shut off for security, you can switch to your batteries for backup. This system is ideal for businesses that depend on electricity and people that simply don't like to sit in the dark.
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