A photovoltaic system is a type of solar energy system. Whereas thernal solar panels generate heat energy from the sun's heat, which can then be used to heat water or air, photovoltaic panels generate electricity. They can turn the light from the sun into energy, generated as voltage. This ca be sent to a battery which then powers your home. Whilst it is still difficult to power all a home's needs from photovoltaic systems in the UK, it is nevertheless a great investment. Efficiency is improving all the time, and they are more user friendly than ever before.
Well, put simply, you need panels, and a sunny place to put them. The other hardware (batteries and cables) takes up very little space and needs only a warm location. The panels can be located on a wall or roof, wherever receives the greatest amount of sun throughout the day. Some systems have panels "disguised" as roof tiles, so they can be integrated perfectly into your existing roof structure.
A photovoltaic system is not yet "super-cheap" but many people will be surprised to learn that one can be installed for less than £6,000. And the savings will more than make up for it. Your electricity bill will be lower, and there are plenty of government schemes to reward those who install solar panels with cash incentives
Photovoltaic systems (PV system) use solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity. A system is made up of one or more photovoltaic (PV) panels, a DC/AC power converter (also known as an inverter), a racking system that holds the solar panels, electrical interconnections, and mounting for other components. Optionally it may include a maximum power point tracker (MPPT), battery system and charger, solar tracker, energy management software, solar concentrators or other equipment. A small PV system may provide energy to a single consumer, or to an isolated device like a lamp or a weather instrument. Large grid-connected PV systems can provide the energy needed by many customers. The electricity generated can be either stored, used directly (island/standalone plant), or fed into a large electricity grid powered by central generation plants (grid-connected/grid-tied plant), or combined with one or many domestic electricity generators to feed into a small grid (hybrid plant).[1] Systems are generally designed in order to ensure the highest energy yield for a given investment.