Solar Energy Systems: How They Work.
If you want a more environmentally responsible home, a “green” step is to install a solar energy system. After all, the sun’s energy has been cleanly shining down on us in Morton Grove for millions of years. iTemp Heating and Air Conditioning carries the Lennox® SunSource® Energy System to help you create a greener, less oil- and gas-dependent home.
But how does this system work?
In a sentence: the system uses solar modules, made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells, to collect energy from the sun and convert it to electricity. Afterwards, the electricity can be used to power appliances, lights and other electrical devices in your home – from your HVAC systems to your phone charger.
Grid-tied PV systems
If you’re in Morton Grove, you’ll probably want a grid-tied PV system. These are the least costly solar energy systems, and they’re linked to your utility company’s power grid – hence the name grid-tied. This lets you use solar energy from your system when the PVs are collecting energy and use electricity from the grid at night, or when the system isn’t gathering energy.
Grid-tied systems also allow your system to feed extra energy back into the grid, causing your meter to spin backwards. This process is called net-metering. The backward spin lets you save on utility expenses that are determined by how far forward your meter has spun.
It’s important to note that most solar rebates and incentives are only available if your system is grid-tied. The other option is a stand-alone PV system, which costs more. Stand-alone systems are not linked to the utility grid and are good options when your home is in a remote location, or too far a distance from a utility service or power lines.
iTemp Heating and Air Conditioning in Morton Grove is eager to help with your solar energy system questions. Give us a shout at 773-704-0640 or book an appointment online.