Best DIY Solar Panelsbr br Solar & Wind Energy. Alternative Energy Systems For Home Or Business .Do it Yourself Homemade Solar Panels and Wind Energy Applicationsbr br Complete tutorials on DIY solar panels, wind turbines, and generating solar hot water using DIY solar cell materials and homemade wind turbine designs. Buy cheap solar cells or build your own homemade solar panelsbr What is a solar electric orbr photovoltaic system?br Photovoltaic (PV) systems convertbr sunlight directly to electricity. Theybr work any time the sun is shining,br but more electricity is producedbr when the sunlight is more intensebr and strikes the PV modules directlybr (as when rays of sunlight are perpendicularbr to the PV modules). Unlikebr solar thermal systems for heatingbr water, PV does not use the sun'sbr heat to make electricity. Instead,br electrons freed by the interactionbr of sunlight with semiconductorbr materials in PV cells are capturedbr in an electric current.br PV allows you to produce electricity—br without noise or air pollution—frombr a clean, renewable resource. A PVbr system never runs out of fuel, and itbr won't increase U.S. oil imports. Manybr PV system components are manufacturedbr right here in the United States.br These characteristics could make PVbr technology the U.S. energy sourcebr of choice for the 21st century.br The basic building block of PV technologybr is the solar “cell.” Multiplebr PV cells are connected to form a PVbr “module,” the smallest PV componentbr sold commercially. Modulesbr range in power output from aboutbr 10 watts to 300 watts. A PV systembr connected or “tied” to the utilitybr grid has these components:br • One or more PV modules, whichbr are connected to an inverterbr • The inverter, which converts thebr system's direct-current (DC) electricitybr to alternating current (AC)br • Batteries (optional) to providebr energy storage or backup powerbr in case of a power interruptionbr or outage on the grid.br AC electricity is compatible withbr the utility grid. It powers our lights,br appliances, computers, and televisions.