The amount of electricity a solar panel produces depends on three main things: the amount of sunlight hitting the panel, the size of the panel, and the efficiency of the solar cells inside. We’ll break down what you can expect from a typical solar panel, and how that power output compares to the power you need for the gadgets and appliances you use inside your home.

What does the max power rating mean?

Your solar panels will have a number listed on the back that indicates how much power they will pump out during ideal conditions. This is called the maximum power rating. Labs that test solar panels calculate output using “peak sun,” or 1000 watts of sunlight per square meter of surface. That’s approximately equal to the power of the sun at noon, on a sunny day, at the equator.

Calculating solar panel output for your location

Since you probably don’t live at the equator, your roof will get a different amount of sunlight, and of course the amount of sunlight also varies based on time of day, the season, and the weather. You can’t use the maximum power rating to directly predict how much power you’ll get from a solar panel. It is possible to do a bit of math to get a better sense of how a solar panel will work in your location, however. Check out Weather Underground’s solar calculator– after you enter your address, you’ll get specific details about how much sunlight hits your house on average. The calculator also gives the option of entering a specific model of solar panel, and the square footage of the panel coverage on your roof.

What’s the power rating for an average solar panel?

A typical solar panel produces around 200 watts of power. There’s a little bit of variation on this, based on the size and efficiency of the solar panel you choose; you’ll see panels that produce 205, 210, even 230 watts. More efficient panels are a little more expensive, and are usually only needed if you have limited space on your roof. Your solar installer will work with you to figure out how much power you’re using, and then will size the whole installation correctly to meet your needs. It won’t matter as much how much each panel is producing as the whole array. A typical installation might be about a 5 kWh array, or roughly 25 panels.

How much power do my devices use?

There’s huge variation in power use between households depending on what you own and how often you use everything. Of course, every device is different, too. One basic old-fashioned lightbulb uses 60 watts of electricity; a CFL uses 18 watts. Laptops often use about 45 watts, and desktops can run between 150-300 watts. Window air conditioning can range between 500 and 1500 watts, and central air conditioning can use 3500 watts. In total, the average home uses about 958 kilowatts a month– with variations by season, especially if you use air conditioning or electric heat. Usage also varies between day and night. Unless you work at home, most of your electricity usage probably happens at night.

On or off the grid?

Since solar panels only generate power as the sun shines, you’ll need a way to store the energy. Though it’s possible to use a battery for storage, the easiest (and cheapest) solution for most people is to stay connected to the grid. If your solar panels are producing more energy than you’re using—when you’re at work, on vacation, or just not running many devices—excess power will flow back into the grid. In many locations, utility companies offer a program called “net metering” that can compensate you for extra power you produce. At night, or anytime you need extra power, you’ll pull it from the grid. With a grid-connected system, you’ll never need to worry if you happen to need more power than your solar system has been sized to provide. You may also choose to supply only part of your average electricity bill with solar, and use the grid for the rest. Your solar installer will talk to you about all of the options. Interested in getting a quote?

Fun Facts

It takes about eight minutes for energy to travel from the sun to the earth.
Photovoltaic cells made from the silicon in one ton of sand can produce as much electricity as burning 500,000 tons of coal in a power plant.

Household solar systems used to be too expensive for all but the wealthiest households, but prices are at least 200% cheaper than they were 30 years ago. At the same time, solar technology has become more efficient and reliable.
The worlds largest solar energy plant (at the time of this writing) is actually in Canada, at 80 MW.
While the US has 3,900% more sun than Germany, the smaller European country has 6,000% more solar.

Solar power is energy that comes from the sun. This energy is very powerful and hits the earth regardless of whether or not we take advantage of it. Even the tiny percentage of sunlight that touches the earth is plenty to meet the energy and power needs of the entire human population more than 8,500 times over. The history of solar power dates back to Leonardo Da Vinci. His sketches go back to the 15^th century showing that he had been designing techniques for harnessing solar energy.

 How Photo-voltaic Solar Panels work

 Solar panels are made up of silicon chips known as photovoltaic cells, or PV cells. PV cells are simply bigger cells than you would find in modern electronics like TVs, phones, and computers. They are created larger in order to capture sunlight for solar power. The panels are created using different types of silicon pieces. The silicon types that are used are poly-crystalline (multi-crystalline, multi-silicon, ribbon), mono-crystalline (mono-silicon or single silicon) , Thin-film (amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, copper indium gallium).A PV cell works using a PN junction to create power. The top layer is known as the "N" layer and is so thin that sunlight can penetrate it. Underneath the N Layer is the PN junction, followed by the "P" layer. Underneath the P layer is a small piece of metal. The PN junction is a “wafer” of silicon .This is necessary to cause an electrical current between the P layer (positive layer) and the N layer (negative layer) .This electrical current occurs by electrons “flowing” between negative and positive creating an electrical charge. Wires that are connected to the cell run and connect to other cells and extend through the source that it is connected to. This can run to an inverter that will convert DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current) power and get sent to a grid to be stored for later use.

The Cost Effective solution

Adding a Caribbean Solar  electric system to your home or business is a great way to drastically reduce your electric bill, increase the value of your home or business  and protect the environment by using clean, renewable energy.  


Benefits of a solar electric system include:
• Drastically lower your monthly electric bill 
• Let the sun provide you with free power
• Miami Dade hurricane tested
• Hedge against future increases in electric power costs 
• Add value and security to your property
• Solar laminates come with a 20 year warranty
• No roof penetration 
• Reduce greenhouse gases 
• Solar energy reduces the equivalent of over 13,000 pounds of pollution
  annually per household

For a limited time – systems are 100% duty free! 


There has never been a better time to invest in a solar system for your home or business.  

A little information on solar

WHY SOLAR ENERGY?

Throughout the world, the combination of the price of electricity and the availability of free sunshine have positioned grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) as an attractive investment.  Once considered to be too expensive an option, today’s PV systems produce electricity that has a quantifiable cash value.

History of Solar Electricity
• Henry Bequerel discovered the photovoltaic effect
• 1950s  Bell Labs develops the first commercially viable solar cell
• 1970s  First practical solar cells were produced (cost 100$/W)

The first conventional PV cells were produced in the late 1950s, and throughout the 1960s were principally used to provide electrical power for earth-orbiting satellites.  By the 1970s, improvements in the manufacturing, performance and quality of PV modules helped to reduce costs and opened up a number of opportunities for powering remote terrestrial applications, including battery charging for navigational aids, signals, telecommunications equipment and other critical low power needs.

Following the energy crisis of the 1970s, significant efforts shifted to the development of PV power systems for residential and commercial uses both for stand-alone, remote power, as well as, for utility-connected applications.

In the 1980s, PV became a popular power source for some consumer electronic devices, including calculators, watches, radios, lanterns and other small battery charging applications.
Today, the PV industry’s production of solar modules is growing at approximately 30% annually.  Major incentive programs in Europe, Japan and the U.S. are rapidly accelerating the implementation of building integrated PV power systems and interconnection to utility networks.
Learn how Caribbean Solar’s  thin film, flexible, solar modules and systems are powering homes, businesses, government, and industries with a value-added return on investment.

WHY CHOOSE A CARIBBEAN SOLAR SYSTEM?
• Twenty year warranty
• Requires no roof penetrations                                                                               
• Generates more electricity in real world conditions
• Lightweight, durable, flexible
• Ideal for Building-Integrated (BIPV)
• Easy to install
• No polysilicon needed
• Caribbean Solar is based in Grand Cayman



Solar energy is cost effective. The cost per watt has dropped more than 2,000% over the past twenty-five years. With the deregulation of the electricity company and the ability to sell the electricity that you produce but don’t use there has never been a better time to acquire a solar system.


As part of our complete design services, your Caribbean Solar representative will provide an easy to read, no-nonsense analysis of complete system costs including materials and installation, along with annual and lifetime energy savings projections. A few of the economics stated in the analysis are:


• Internal Rate of Return (IRR) with or without financing 
• Payback without consideration of resale value 
• Incremental real estate value of your solar system 
• Average annual savings of the system in the first year 
• Solar systems have a very long, low maintenance life expectancy – typically
  30 years or more 
• The fuel costs for a solar electric system are free 

Alternative energy organizations

Alternative energy organizations such as the "AREO" (the Anguilla Renewable Energy Office) have been formed to help the transition to Alternative energy in the Caribbean run efficiently.The AREO was founded in 2008 to promote a transition to renewable energy production on Anguilla. Its mission is to spearhead the successful implementation of the Anguilla Model – a 10 year plan to make Anguilla Energy Independent. Since,then a lot has been done. First off, a high awareness of Alternative energy has risen in Anguilla. The community provides much support.It has also achieved the complete support and confidence of the Government of Anguilla, ANGLEC and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. 

The AREO is currently assisting the Government in the process of bringing Clean Energy Providers to Anguilla to bid on Solar, Wind and Waste to Energy Projects. Anguilla has hosted visits from a number of International Developers in these sectors who are excited by the opportunities presented by the Anguilla Model. The AREO have produced informational films and montly newsletters that reach thousands of local and international subscribers. For more information on AREO visit http://www.anguillareo.org./action.php.

Bluepoint SXM goes green

~ Generating electricity from solar panels ~

PHILIPSBURG--Taking a stand for the environment, Blue Point electronic store has installed the most powerful solar panels so far invented (280 watts per panel). It is the first business on island to go green and use solar energy as an alternative method of generating electricity.

Blue Point has installed a solar system over the past months that produces 17 kilowatts of electricity per hour, based on the quantity of sunlight. Anthony Prall Jr., owner of Caribbean Energy Store, an international company based in Miami, Florida, installed the panels.

Blue Point developed the concept of going green a year and half ago, when it found out about Prall's work on the island. His home in Guana Bay is completely powered by solar and wind energy. Prall is the only person on the island with knowledge, qualifications and factory training concerning solar and wind powered systems.

Prall's main message is that if 75 per cent of local businesses go green over the next couple of years, it would take a considerable load off utility company GEBE's grid during the daytime, when sunlight is at its peak.

"Here in the Caribbean we get the most sun in the entire world. So right now we have between 8.5 and 9.5 hours a day of good, usable sunlight to generate electricity," he noted.

Moreover, Prall explained that making use of solar panels would decrease the amount of carbon being released into our atmosphere. "Blue Point's system at 17 kilowatts per hour saves 1,247 pounds of carbon each day. That's almost a tonne of black dirt taken out of the air that you and I are breathing," he noted.

The system at Blue Point is an off-the-grid system. It has a battery backup, so when the lights go out, you don't notice a blink, Prall said. "You don't have to wait 30 seconds for the generator to come on; in the blink of an eye power is on."

According to Prall, Blue Point is operating between 90 and 100 per cent on solar energy. The panels, shipped from China, took six months to arrive on the island and have a 30- to 40-year warrantee.

When considering investing in solar panels, the first thing Prall advises is to save electricity by installing LED light bulbs. "Conserve, this is one of the easiest things that can be done to reduce electric bills. You can save power, save money and do a good thing for the atmosphere. Going green, it makes sense," said Prall.

The LED light bulbs used at Blue Point were ordered from China and use less than 10 per cent of the amount of electricity other light bulbs use. Although costly, the bulbs last 25 years. They don't use a lot of power and do not create a lot of heat.

Prall said that if Blue Point's average electric bill was US $4,000, its bill would be reduced to about $800 by putting in LED light bulbs. Going green with the solar panels will knock its bill down to about $100 to $200 a month.

Blue Point's plan is to add a few more panels over the next few months, so it will be 100 per cent independent of GEBE. Although its solar panels are installed on an off-the-grid system, Blue Point is still connected to GEBE. On cloudy days Blue Point is still dependent on GEBE. However, when the sun is shining the meter is stopped.

Prall noted that installing a tracking system to track the sun could almost double the power and was most advisable. "The panels rotate, capturing 98 per cent of the peak power by tracking the sun all day long," he explained.

According to Prall, installations vary in cost. The solar panels are mounted on an angle on the roof, so the wind can't take them away. They must face south, cannot have any obstructions such as trees or neighbouring buildings. An inverter bolts onto the wall in a place that is high and dry, and is connected to the solar panels.

The panels only receive peak power for maybe one or two hours a day. "After and before that it is higher or lower by just a little bit. But when you are trying to get rid of the electricity bill, a little bit can mean a lot," Prall said.

Blue Point Manager Naresh Vaswani said his establishment was not inventing the wheel, "We are just putting it to use." He said it had become evident that there was no consistency in GEBE's supply of power to the island. "We are all victims of that right now," he said.

Therefore, considering the fact that he cannot do business as an electronic store without power, it was necessary to consider alternatives. "No power six to eight hours reflects on your revenue. Also what can be better than creating power out of natural resources?" Vaswani noted.

As a supporter of combating global warming he noted that Blue Point had installed LED light bulbs and its solar panels as a tryout, with the intention to eventually make the purchase of LED light bulbs and solar panels available in its store. He said the business also intended to rid of plastics by distributing more environmentally-friendly bags to customers.

Prall noted that several other businesses were interested in going green through the installation of solar panels.

"It's exciting to see the technologies out there and see them coming to St. Maarten," he said. "If you take the sun, which hits the entire 37 square miles of St. Maarten, and you were to cover all the dirt with solar panels, you would have enough power to power the entire island for a whole year just with one day's worth of sun. That's an intriguing factor."