Recreation,
DIY,
Rural Electrification,
Off-Grid Cabin

‘Photovoltaic’ is a technical term in the solar energy industry. A photovoltaic panel is simply known as a PV solar panel or more generally referred to as a solar panel.  The photovoltaic cells use sunlight to cause a chemical reaction which produces direct current (DC) electricity. This electricity generated by the sun can be used to power loads or charge a battery.

The battery is an expensive investment, so maximizing battery life is critical to get your best return on investment, reduce downtime and increase system reliability. Although a small investment, charge controllers play a big role in overall system performance.

DC equipment and appliances are often very efficient. When considering Off-Grid or Grid Edge applications, every watt produced and consumed is precious so efficiency matters.  Beyond consumption, if using DC equipment is possible, customers may avoid purchasing more components, resulting in a faster return on investment (ROI).

If AC power is required the system should include a power conversion device, called an inverter, to convert DC power into AC power.

Traditionally, the energy industry defines power systems relative to their access to a centralized utility grid. An Off-Grid system has no access to the utility grid and functions independently, generating and storing all power on-site.  A Grid-Tied system is connected to the utility grid and interacts with it, as needed, utilizing a combination of power produced on-site and from the utility grid, with the option to use the utility grid for primary energy storage. A Grid Edge system is also connected to the utility grid but has intermittent and/or unreliable grid access. Therefore, an Edge of Grid system may include control mechanisms to balance onsite power creation and/or storage in conjunction with grid access.