How does solar work?

Silicon solar cells, through the photovoltaic effect, absorb photons and generate flowing electricity. This process varies depending on the type of solar technology, but there are a few steps common across all solar PV cells.

Step 1: Light is absorbed by the PV cell and knocks electrons loose

First, light strikes a photovoltaic cell and the photons are absorbed by the semiconducting material it is made from (usually silicon). This incoming light energy causes electrons in the silicon to be knocked loose, which will eventually become the solar electricity you can use in your home.

Step 2: Electrons begin to flow, creating an electrical current

There are two layers of silicon used in photovoltaic cells, and each one is specially treated (known as “doping”) to create an electric field, meaning one side has a net positive charge and one has a net negative charge. This electric field causes loose electrons to flow in one direction through the solar cell, generating an electrical current.

Step 3: The electrical current is captured and combined with other solar cells

Once an electrical current is generated by loose electrons, metal plates on the sides of each solar cell collect those electrons and transfer them to wires. At this point, electrons can flow as electricity through the wiring to a solar inverter and then throughout your home.

Many photovoltaic cells together produce solar electricity for your home

A photovoltaic cell on its own cannot produce enough usable electricity for more than a small electronic gadget. In order to produce the amount of energy a home might need, solar cells are wired together to create solar panels, which are installed in groups to form a solar energy system. A typical residential solar panel with 60 photovoltaic cells combined might produce anywhere from 220 to over 400 watts of power.

Depending on factors like temperature, hours of sunlight, and electricity use, property owners will need varying amounts of solar panels to produce enough energy. Regardless, installing a solar panel system will likely include several hundred solar photovoltaic cells working together to generate an electrical current

FIND OUT WAYS SES CAN HELP YOUR HOME

[using solar energy efficiently]

You want to partner with a contractor you can trust. One with the right processes in place, but who also employs local crews and cares about the communities you sell in. We work tirelessly behind the scenes to create systems and processes that anticipate and prepare our teams for every part of a solar installation.

Unique Value Proposition

The systems and processes to allow you to focus on what you do best

Fast Installation

With years of local experience, we’ve crafted systems that lets your team do your job quickly, before our team moves in to complete the project. With some of the fastest turnarounds in the industry, we complete projects ASAP so that customers are happy and commissions can be paid.

We want our partners to be focused on bringing in the next customer, not worried about when fees will be paid out. Dealer fees are paid weekly upon project completion, much faster than the industry standard. We are constantly working to provide incentives to our VIP dealers to bring us the best customers.

Learn more about our VIP Dealer program

Complete Project Visibility

Our field-tested tools and processes ensure dealers can be hand’s off once a customer has signed. Our project management team works hand-in-glove with your project team to ensure a seamless project experience. We provide reports, sometimes daily, on all projects, giving full transparency on each project’s timeline. We are committed to moving every project to completion as fast as possible, just as our dealers are.

Industry-Leading Financing Options

Partnering with the best financing companies available, we provide a wide range of options to customers, so there’s always financing that fits their needs.

Established Presence

We have been renewable energy experts since 2004. We have extensive experience with installs, licensing, permits, and the neighborhoods in our locales. We have worked with more than 5,000 households, and during that time we’ve built lean, efficient processes so that the customer receives the best experience, every time. Guaranteed.

Apply to our premier partner program

 

Let us know how to reach you and someone will be in touch soon.

What people are saying

Customer Testimonials

SES installed an Enphase Ensemble Battery Storage system in my home and it looks great.
Brian D.- Waldorf MD
We chose Standard Energy Solutions to be our installation partner because their team is responsive, efficient and always has our customer's best interest top of mind.
Brad E.- Washington DC
Best in the Business. The Standard team has helped train our sales team, takes care of our customers and has increased our referrals.
Pat F. and Tom B.- Columbia Md
Get In touch