Why would someone use a solar panel? Does it have to do with the economy right now, global warming, or what?
I doubt the immediate economy has much to do with it. Solar panels require long-term investment, so in hard times, someone having trouble making ends meet is not going to be buying solar panels, when they could be buying food. It's like if someone has a gas guzzler, if they get laid off, they're not going to spend their savings on a new, fuel efficient car, even if it saves money in the long term. However, it's generally the more wealthy that install solar, and they're not impacted as much by a slow economy. Human nature being what it is, I doubt many people install solar to save the planet. There will be some, but I suspect most are interested in the long-term financial savings. I'm kind of unusual, in that our panels are break-even financially at best. The main reason I put them up was for the fun of learning and doing it.
It turns energy from the Sun directly into usable electricity and is very useful if you are far away from the power grid or want an alternative electricity source. Since energy prices must steadily rise and Solar cells are getting cheaper, it is likely that in several years Solar panels will provide electricity as cheaply as the big power companies who maintain our power grid.
solar cell is a solar cell solar panel are many solar cells.... Typically people refer to a single solar panel as a solar panel, even though they should be reffering to it as a solar cell. A solar panel is a panel of solar cells working in conjunction with each other. I hope that makes sense it is just the incorrect terminology people always use.
All of the above plus freedom and being part of the solution instead of the problem. Energy is doing nothing but costing more. Once you buy a solar panel your price is frozen for the life of the solar cell. They last at least 30 years maybe up to 50
The sun provides power where ever the sun shines. That means you can have power without paying for power cables running for miles across rivers and valleys or just out in the middle of nowhere. Or in the middle of somewhere, you can get more or less off the grid (of electrical delivery) and save money and not be a slave to big business. And since the carbon footprint of making power with solar cells is entirely in the making of them and the batteries, it is a cleaner form of electricity. With the batteries needed to have power at night, it can mean that power doesn't fail when the wires go down in the grid.
