Solar panel?
Answer:
YES!! If you have the money to do it you SHOULD!
Converting all your energy to Solar is the only thing that makes sense.....yet it is pricey!!
The term solar panel is best applied to a flat solar thermal collector, such as a solar hot water or air panel used to heat water, air, or otherwise collect solar thermal energy. But 'solar panel' may also refer to a photovoltaic module which is an assembly of solar cells used to generate electricity. In all cases, the panels are typically flat, and are available in various heights and widths.
An array is a group of solar-thermal panels or photovoltaic (PV) modules; the panels can be connected either in parallel or series depending upon the design objective. Solar panels typically find use in residential, commercial, institutional, and light industrial applications.
Solar-thermal panels saw widespread use in Florida and California until the 1920s when tank-type water heaters replaced them. A thriving manufacturing business soon dwindled. However, solar-thermal panels are still in production, and are common in portions of the world where energy costs, and solar energy availability, are high.
Recently there has been a surge toward large scale production of PV modules. In parts of the world with significantly high insolation levels, PV output and their economics are enhanced. PV modules are the primary component of most small-scale solar-electric power generating facilities. Larger facilities, such as solar power plants typically contain an array of reflectors (concentrators), a receiver, and a thermodynamic power cycle, and thus use solar-thermal rather than PV.
The largest solar panel in the world is under construction in the south of Portugal. A 116-megawatt facility covering a 250-hectare south-facing hillside in the southern Alentejo region and it will produce electricity for 25,000 households.[1]
You seem to be asking a very general question about where to find out more about putting up a photovoltaic solar panel on your home or business. You could start here:
www.bpsolar.com
en.wikipedia.org/solar_panel
Bear in mind that they are making some big strides in PV cells. Researchers at Berkeley just made a PV cell that was 33% more efficient and twice as thin as anything on the market. Since then, some company in San Jose started making light, thin PV sheet which is printed and rolled onto spools. This should get less expensive with time and you might start seeing cars with shiny black roofs which can run the AC constantly- saving gas. Toyota is already looking at this. Boy, that would be nice in Arizona and Nevada.
What is the exact question here? What is a solar panel? I don't understand, but anything and everything you are going to want to know, just ask me. I am the engineering administrator for The Solar Center out of Denville NJ and if I do not know the answer, I will consult with one of our engineers or sales reps and get it for you. Feel free to email me with anything you want to know
I once heard that you can get a rebate from your electric company if you have solar panels on your house. Not sure if this is true or not.
It is hard to determine your exact question. Others have defined a solar panel for you.
If you are curious how to install one, you would want to contract a licensed electrician or have similar knowledge to do so yourself. Installing yourself may mean you do not qualify for State incentives (if any are available in your state).
In another question I wrote:
For a typical home application, the PV (photo voltaic) would be a 2,000 KW system with a street cost of $20,000 USD including installation.
In the State of Oregon, you would get a $4,500 instant rebate, meaning you would actually pay $15,500. An Oregon tax credit would return $6,000 more to you (the cap is currently $6,000), and the Federal rebate (available throughout the US) would return another $2,000 (that is the cap as well).
This would make the final cost of the system $7,500 in Oregon. Other states have credits as well. The credits are based on the need for states to control their rising energy costs, and they come out ahead by funding these systems.
Keep in mind that a solar water heater (which does not involve PV, but still uses the sun) would save 2,200 KWh/yr and cost $8,000 installed, but after all credits would cost only $3,800 in Oregon (about $2,120 is saved due to Oregon credits). This is a much lower price (about half!), but has about as much environmental benefit as the PV system.
Both options are fantastic environmentally, and save money for you if you will own the home for several years (5-15 depending on the amount you spend). In the case of solar water systems, the cost has been shown to be directly equal the increase in percieved value of the home, so even if you sold the home prior to the return on investment for energy saved, you would come out ahead.
I don't know, but have you tried checking wikipedia?
I am not sure what your asking but my opinion of this is that you should. They might be expensive but they pay for themselves in a short time. Where I live if you don't use all the energy your solar panel creates it gets sent back to the electric company and you get that money back on your tax returns.
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