If you caught wind of the U.S. Geological Survey’s report that dropped on Black Friday, you likely also heard that everyone is now clamoring toward renewable energy sources.
While it’s certainly true that renewable energy has the potential to save our planet and save money in the process, there are a few challenges we must overcome before it will become a sustainable, reliable tool.
Rather than tossing renewable energy into the “too difficult” bucket, let’s weigh our options and take stock in the countless opportunities we have at our disposal today thanks to some incredible advances in solar technology.
Understand the Inner Workings
In order to maximize our potential use of solar energy, we need to first understand how our current technology works. Then we can make improvements to harness the power of the sun to power our booming society.
There’s a misconception that solar flows in a linear fashion. Many people believe it works like this: sunlight hits roof, solar panels capture energy, coffee maker turns on and refrigerator stays cold.
It’s not quite that simple.
Solar power systems are made up of small units known as photovoltaic cells. These cells convert sunlight into energy on a molecular level. Technically, the energy is captured when sunlight (made up of photons) disrupts the structure of molecules within the photovoltaic cells by breaking electrons free from atoms.
This process creates electricity, which is captured in the form of direct current (DC) energy.
Next, the DC energy flows into an inverter, which converts the DC energy into alternating current (AC) energy – the kind your house likes. This process is also referred to as “conditioning the power.”
While this may sound like a nice, linear process, it all hinges on one major factor: the sun. And as we all know, the sun isn’t always shining directly on your solar panels at just the right angle, around the clock.
Being Grid-Tied
When solar first hit the market, there was this fantasy that energy consumers could fire their utility company and live “off the grid.”
Unfortunately, that’s not quite the reality.
Even if you do go solar, you will still need to be tied to the electrical grid. Here’s why.
Once your energy is converted from DC to AC through the inverter, the electricity is then funneled through your energy meter. In most cases, any excess energy your solar panels produce that you don’t use right away is sent to your utility company.
When this happens, your electricity account with the utility company is credited for the extra energy you’re producing. In the evening, when the sun isn’t shining down on you and your solar panels are taking a break, you pull any power you need from the utility company and draw from those credits you’ve earned.
This process is called net metering and is all the rage in the solar industry right now.
Altogether, the solar power process depends on the sun. When the sun isn’t shining or when it’s a particularly overcast day, you may need more added support from the utility company. Conversely, on particularly bright days, your solar system may generate more electricity than you need.
The naturally unpredictable nature of solar energy means that we must all work together to maximize the sun’s rays when they’re available and make extremely efficient use of stored energy when they’re not.
Battery Backup
An alternative or supplement to net metering is the solar power storage battery. Solar power storage batteries come in three varieties: lead-acid, lithium-ion, and saltwater.
Rather than your overflow AC electricity heading over to the utility company to be processed under net metering, solar power storage batteries allow you to collect the excess energy your solar system captures to supplement whatever you may need after daylight hours.
Early generations of these batteries were extremely expensive and inefficient. Then, in 2014, Elon Musk shocked the world by giving away several of his patents for electric car batteries. While some business advisors gave him side-eye and considered bringing in the guys with the straight jackets, others saw his plan for what it was: a necessary step to help the world take a major leap toward sustainable energy.
Thanks to Musk’s bold move, we have skyrocketed forward in the advancement of battery technology for solar-generated power. Still, storage batteries are relatively new to the solar power world and are still going through evolutions for maximum cost efficiency.
The latest iteration is a solar cell-battery hybrid called a solar flow battery that is shattering previous efficiency standards. Clearly, the horizon is ripe with possibilities.
As a business owner, you’re likely at an advantage. Unlike homeowners who consume more energy in the evening hours (off-peak power) – when the sun isn’t shining and they need help from “Big Utility” to power the oven and Amazon Fire Stick – you likely shut things down just around the time the sun is heading to the other side of the world.
With the right set up, solar power can be a smart investment for business owners as we head toward more renewable energy sources.
Wondering if solar power is right for you? Consult with a trusted energy advisor before making the switch to see if solar is a smart move for your business and finances.
Resources
- USGS. (2018). Federal Lands Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sequestration in the United States: Estimates for 2005–14. https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2018/5131/sir20185131.pdf
- Musk, Elon. (2014). All Our Patent Are Belong To You. https://www.tesla.com/blog/all-our-patent-are-belong-you
- Jeung, T. (2018). This Half Battery, Half Solar Cell Hybrid Could Be a Total Game Changer. https://www.inverse.com/article/49423-efficient-solar-power-battery-makes-sunlight-portable
