An increasing number of homeowners and businesses across the country are making the switch to solar as an energy source. Two common reasons for this switch include financial savings and environmental benefits. 

Solar power is often a cost-effective decision as it drastically decreases your electric bills, even if your solar system doesn’t produce 100 percent of your consumed energy. Likewise, switching to solar can help prevent paying for rising energy costs and add value to your property.

Switching to solar is also beneficial to the environment and your local utility companies. Your switch can offer less stress on utilities’ infrastructure and contribute to less carbon emissions produced by the generation of electricity via power plants.

So how does it work? Generally, there are less steps in the process of converting solar energy to usable electricity versus standard electrical generation.

Simply put, solar panels absorb sunlight and turn it into electricity. The absorption of sunlight combines tiny photons. These photons, combined with photovoltaic cells in the solar panels, create a flow of electrons.

The flow of electrons generates direct current (DC) electricity. The DC is sent to an inverter at your home or business. The inverter converts this DC to AC (alternating current), which is usable electricity for your home.

At this point, the electricity flows throughout your home just like any other electrical source!

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Spotts, Stevens, and McCoy is a regional engineering, environmental, and surveying firm that serves local and global clients. We engineer solutions for a better world. Our work touches everyday life – from the water you drink, to the air you breathe, to the buildings and communities where you live, work, and play. Learn more about Spotts, Stevens, and McCoy.