What Are the New Innovations in Solar Energy for Homes?

Micro-Inverter

• Solar panels produce direct current, referred to as DC, while household appliances and electrical systems run on alternating current, or AC. An inverter is needed to convert DC to AC and this has traditionally been done with a single inverter box mounted next to the house's power meter. Traditional inverters bear the burden of the entire system and so typically have a shorter lifespan than the rest of the solar system. Micro-inverters are attached to single panels, converting DC to AC at the source and, since they handle lower voltages, they tend to last longer and operate more efficiently.

DC Boost

• Traditional solar energy systems consist of solar panels strung together in a series making them vulnerable to the "Christmas tree light effect," meaning that if one bulb fails, the whole string fails; if one panel is operating at 50 percent efficiency because it is dirty or is partially shaded by a tree, then the entire system operates at 50 percent efficiency.

  DC boost systems allow for parallel construction of panels. Like the micro-inverter system, the panels produce energy independently; unlike the micro-inverter system, the DC to AC conversion does not happen at each panel. The DC boost system retains the central inverter for optimal voltage input.

Building Integration

• A big hurdle that residential solar energy systems had to overcome was aesthetics but developments within the industry concerning building integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) sailed over it. Solar shingles were available in 2011 that looked very similar to conventional roof shingles and blended in seamlessly with the architectural style of the home.

  BIPVs incorporate solar cells in slate, fiber-cement, metal and asphalt roofing materials by laminating a crystalline silicon layer. These install over existing roof sheathing, wired together and then connected to the home's electrical system.

Thin Film

• Thin film technology could hold the future of solar technology. One thin film solar design looks like sheets of glass. It resembles glass with tinting, but instead of reflecting the sun's rays, it uses a microfilm layer of solar panels that actually generate electricity. Another model is flexible with a stick-on backing.

  This technology can even apply to paint so that you could actually paint your house with a clean energy-generating device. You need much less silicon to produce thin film than for traditional solar panels so it is much less expensive.

  This technology also applies to a multi-junction photovoltaic cell by using multiple layers of thin films on different materials. This would allow the microcells to utilize up to 60 percent of the energy in sunlight.