How a Residential Solar Power System Works
If you want to use solar power but don’t want to own your own system, you can lease or buy a PPA from a company that will install and maintain the system for you. These arrangements typically include a long-term contract. A grid-tied PV system uses a central inverter to convert DC electricity from solar modules into AC electricity that connects to your service panel. Some newer systems use microinverters on each panel, allowing for individual module performance monitoring. Solar Panels When sunlight hits solar panels, they create an electrical charge. This electricity passes through a solar inverter to get converted into alternating current (AC) that you can use at home or business. The inverter also acts as “the brain” of your solar system by logging performance data throughout the day. It also enables Con Edison to track your energy production so that any power you export back to the grid can be credited to you on your next bill – an arrangement known as net metering. There are...