Solar explained / A practical guide
How solar energy works
Follow the electricity from sunlight at the panel to the equipment that uses it—and understand where the inverter, grid and battery fit.
In this guide
It starts at the photovoltaic cell.
Solar panels use photovoltaic cells to turn sunlight into electricity. Cells are joined into modules, and modules can be combined into an array. That modular structure allows a system to be planned around different electricity requirements.
The output from the panels is direct current, usually shortened to DC. Producing this electricity is the first step; the rest of the installation connects it to the intended use.
Follow the electricity through the system.
01
Solar panels
The photovoltaic array generates DC electricity from sunlight.
02
Inverter
The inverter converts DC into alternating current, or AC, for the electrical system.
03
Electrical distribution
The distribution arrangement connects the converted electricity to the circuits and equipment it is intended to supply.
04
Metering and grid connection
In a grid-connected installation, metering records the electricity exchanged with the network. Local connection and billing arrangements need to be checked for the project.
Mounting, cabling, isolation and protection also belong to the installation design. A simple energy-flow explanation is not an electrical wiring plan or an installation instruction.
Generation is not the same as storage.
A panel generates electricity; a battery stores it. Where storage is included, the controls, inverter and battery arrangement determine how that stored energy is used.
This distinction matters when comparing proposals. A system intended for daytime generation is not automatically a system intended to power selected appliances through an outage.
Panels are only one part of the answer. Ask separately how the proposal handles generation, storage and backup operation.
What changes when the grid goes down?
A typical grid-connected solar installation disconnects during a grid outage. Backup needs a suitable system arrangement that separates the supplied circuits from the grid.
Do not assume that a solar array, or the presence of a battery alone, establishes the backup capability of a particular installation. Ask which equipment can remain powered and how the proposed system provides that function.
Use the explanation to ask better questions.
When discussing a system, ask for the roles of the panel array, inverter, any battery and the grid connection to be explained individually. Request a clear distinction between the equipment being supplied and the operating result being proposed.
For a home project, bring electricity bills and roof details into the conversation. For a business project, include operating hours and any equipment with separate backup requirements.
Your questions, answered
Solar operation: common questions
Practical answers to help you take the next step.
What does a solar panel actually produce?
A photovoltaic panel produces direct-current electricity when sunlight interacts with its cells. It does not produce the alternating-current supply used by most household appliances directly.
Why is an inverter needed?
An inverter converts the panels’ direct-current electricity into alternating-current electricity for the intended electrical system. The required inverter depends on the system design.
Does the solar panel itself store electricity?
No. Generation and storage are different functions. Battery storage is a separate part of a system designed to retain electricity for later use.
What does a bidirectional electricity meter measure?
It records electricity moving in both directions between the property and the grid. How exported electricity is treated for billing depends on the applicable local arrangement.
Why might solar stop during a power cut?
A typical grid-connected system disconnects when the grid fails. Continuing to supply selected loads requires a suitable backup arrangement that separates those loads from the grid.
Does every home need the same number of panels?
No. Electricity use, available sunny space and the proposed system arrangement differ between homes. A panel count should follow the design requirement rather than substitute for it.
From understanding to planning
Now look at your own property.
The next step is a site-specific discussion about electricity use, suitable installation space and the operating arrangement you need.