| Intro
to the Solar Industry Solar electric generators have been around for decades powering both large and small commercial applications. As electric rates continue to rise, using solar electricity for commercial applications has become a sound investment. Government incentives designed to support the use of renewable energy offset up to 80% of the cost of an installed system.
Solar electricity is the perfect match for many commercial applications, especially for these where the energy demands are highest during daylight hours when electricity rates are at their peak. Solar power is completely silent, requires very little maintenance and is non-polluting. The combination of environmental benefits, long term value and the current financial incentives make solar electricity the ideal power source for the millennium. Photovoltaics is a method for capturing the sun’s energy. Photovoltaics (PV) utilize the sun’s photons or light to create electricity. PV technologies rely on the photoelectric effect first described by French physicist Edmund Becquerel in 1839. The photoelectric effect occurs when a beam of UV light, composed of photons (quantized packets of energy), strike one part of a pair of negatively charged metal plates. This causes electrons to be “liberated” from the negatively charged plate. These free electrons are then attracted to the other plate by electrostatic forces. This flowing of electrons is an electrical current. This electron flow can be gathered in the form of direct current (DC) which can then be inverted into alternating current (AC). Why aren’t there more solar panels or big solar plants being used today? There are actually more solar panels and big solar plants being used today than ever before. The PV industry is experiencing annual growth rates of around 50% with higher growth rates in countries such as Japan, where it is currently growing at 63%. Next page > Read more Solar Info: Solar Benefits California’s Installed Base of Grid-Connected Solar Systems 
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