Table of Contents
Short answer
Solar panels turn sunlight into electricity through the photovoltaic effect. The panels produce direct current (DC) electricity, and an inverter converts it to alternating current (AC), the type your home uses. Your home uses the solar power as it’s generated, and any excess is usually exported to the grid.
- Panels capture sunlight. Solar cells convert light into DC electricity.
- The inverter converts it. DC becomes AC electricity for your appliances.
- Your home uses it. Solar power supplies your home as it’s generated.
- Excess goes to the grid or a battery. Extra power is usually exported to the grid, which earns a credit on your bill if your electricity plan includes a feed-in tariff. Or it can be stored in a battery for later. If your network has an export limit, generation above it can’t be exported and is curtailed.
See String, hybrid and microinverters for the different types of inverter.
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