Sun is the ultimate source of power for the planet. Solar panels are used to convert this energy of the sun directly into electricity. The energy produced by these panels can power appliances directly or charge a battery for later consumption.
Solar cells are made of semiconductor materials that produce a charge when exposed to sunlight. The amount of light falling on the panel determines the charge being produced. The more the sunlight the more charge is produced. It is therefore very essential that the panel is exposed to maximum sunlight during the day. Proper care should be taken to ensure that the installed installed receives sunlight for maximum time period during the day. The location chosen to install a panel should also allow for the best utilization of sunlight. The amount of time during a day that can be best utilized for solar panel systems is called as the "solar window". The solar window time ranges between mornings 9AM to afternoon 3PM. This is the time when maximum solar radiation is available. One can maximize the usage during this time by installing tracking devices which will point the solar panel towards the sun. The tracking devices are of two kinds active tracking devices and passive tracking devices. The active tracking devices actively monitor the movement of the sun and ensure that the panel is always perpendicular to the sun. Being perpendicular to the sun ensures that the suns radiation is utilized in the most efficient manner. Passive tracking devices are timed to follow the sun and apply no further logic. Installation of these devices is a slight overhead but it maximizes the output from panels greatly. The best use of panels needs to be made when the sun is shining bright. The only way to ensure that this energy is completely utilized by our home made panels is to install tracking devices.
