How solar panels work: From sunlight to electricity at home

You see them on rooftops all over Malta, but have you ever wondered what actually happens when sunlight hits a solar panel?

The process is simpler than it might seem. Solar panels capture energy from daylight and turn it into electricity that can be used around your home. From there, your solar system manages where that energy goes, powering your appliances, charging your battery or sending excess electricity to the grid.

So, what happens between the sun shining on your roof and your kettle switching on? Let’s take a closer look.

How do solar panels generate electricity?

Solar panels are made up of photovoltaic or PV cells. When sunlight hits these cells, they generate direct current (DC) electricity. The appliances in your home, however, run on alternating current (AC) electricity. That’s where the inverter comes in.

Your inverter converts the DC electricity generated by your solar panels into AC electricity that your home can use. Depending on your setup, it can also help manage how electricity moves between your solar panels, your home, your battery and the grid.

In simple terms, the journey looks something like this:

Sunlight → Solar panels → Inverter → Your home

And that’s the basic idea behind a solar PV system.

What happens to the solar energy your panels produce?

Your solar panels don’t just produce electricity for the sake of it. Once that electricity has been converted by the inverter, it can be put to work in a few different ways.

1. Your home uses it

If your solar panels are producing electricity while your home is using it, that energy can go directly to your appliances. Your fridge, washing machine, air conditioner, water heater and other electrical appliances can all use electricity generated by your solar system.

The more of your solar energy you use yourself, the less electricity you need to take from the grid at that moment.

2. Your battery stores it

What happens if your panels are producing more electricity than your home needs? If your system includes battery storage, the excess energy can be stored and used later.

For example, your panels might be producing plenty of electricity during the afternoon while you’re out. Later in the evening, when the sun has gone down and you’re back home, you can use the energy stored in your battery.

This is one of the reasons a hybrid inverter and battery can be a useful addition to a solar PV system. Instead of using solar energy only when your panels are producing it, you have more flexibility over when you use the energy you’ve generated.

Learn more about hybrid and standard solar inverters here.

3. Excess electricity can go to the grid

If your panels are producing more electricity than your home and battery can use or store, the remaining energy can be exported to the electricity grid. Depending on the scheme you’re on, you may receive compensation for the electricity you feed into the grid. So, rather than letting your excess solar energy go to waste, it can be put to use elsewhere.

Take a look at how you can turn sunshine into income with our feed-in tarrif service.

What happens when the sun isn’t shining?

This is probably one of the first questions people ask when they start thinking about solar. And no, your solar panels don’t stop working just because there’s a cloud in the sky. Solar panels generate electricity from daylight, not heat. This means they can continue producing electricity on cloudy days, although the amount they generate will be lower than on a bright, sunny day.

And when the sun goes down, your solar panels stop generating electricity until daylight returns. At that point, your home can draw electricity from the grid or if you have battery storage, use energy that was stored earlier.

Can solar panels power your home at night?

Not directly from the panels, since they need daylight to generate electricity, however, a battery can change how you use the energy your panels produce. This can be particularly useful for households that use more electricity in the evening, when solar production has stopped.

Why solar panels can make your home more sustainable

Generating electricity on your own roof means producing renewable energy at the same place where you use it.

Solar panels generate electricity without burning fuel during operation. Over the lifetime of a system, generating more of your own electricity from sunlight can help reduce your reliance on electricity generated from conventional energy sources.

Like any technology, solar panels aren’t completely impact-free. Manufacturing, transporting and installing them all require resources and energy, but because a solar system can generate electricity for many years, those initial environmental impacts are spread across a long operating life.

In other words, your rooftop can do more than keep the rain out. It can also become a small-scale source of renewable energy for your home.

Why solar works well in Malta

There’s one thing our island certainly isn’t short of and that is sunshine. Malta has high levels of solar irradiation compared with many other European countries, making it a particularly suitable location for solar PV systems. It’s worth remembering, though, that solar panels rely on light rather than heat. In fact, very high temperatures can slightly reduce the efficiency of a solar panel. This means that Malta’s abundant sunshine is the real star of the show.

For homeowners, rooftops also offer a practical place to generate renewable electricity without needing additional land. Of course, not every roof is the same. Orientation, available space and shading can all affect how well a solar PV system performs, which is why a proper assessment is important before choosing a system.

How much of your home’s electricity can solar panels provide?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The amount of electricity your panels can generate depends on several factors, including:

• the size of your PV system
• the amount of usable roof space
• the orientation of your roof
• shading from surrounding buildings or structures
• the amount of sunlight available
• how much electricity your household uses
• when you use that electricity

For example, two homes with identical solar systems could have very different results if one household uses most of its electricity during the day while the other uses most of it in the evening.

That’s why choosing the right system isn’t simply about fitting as many panels as possible onto your roof. It’s about matching the system to your home and the way you actually use energy.

Is solar right for your home?

The best solar PV system isn’t necessarily the biggest one. It’s the one that’s designed around your home, your roof and your energy habits. A professional assessment can help determine how suitable your roof is, how much solar you could generate and what combination of panels, inverter and battery storage makes sense for your household.

If you’re considering making better use of Malta’s sunshine, find out more about GO Energi’s solar PV systems and see how you can start generating, storing and using your own solar energy.

Read more about PV panels are key to sustainable energy and here are six reasons to switch to solar energy.

FAQs

How many solar panels does a home in Malta need?

There’s no fixed number. It depends on factors such as your household’s electricity consumption, available roof space, roof orientation and the output of the panels being installed. A site assessment can help determine what size system is suitable for your home.

Will shading affect my solar panels?

Yes, shade from nearby buildings, walls, trees or other structures can reduce the amount of electricity your panels generate. Even partial shading can affect performance, which is why roof layout and panel positioning should be considered before installation.

Do solar panels need direct sunlight all day?

No, solar panels can still generate electricity in indirect sunlight and on cloudy days, although output will be lower. The amount of daylight your roof receives throughout the day will influence overall performance.

What happens if my solar panels generate more electricity than I use?

Depending on your setup, excess electricity can be stored in a battery or exported to the grid. What happens to that surplus will depend on the system installed and the applicable energy scheme.

Can I add a battery to an existing solar PV system?

In some cases, yes. Whether a battery can be added easily depends on your existing inverter and system configuration. You may need to upgrade to a hybrid inverter or make other changes to support battery storage.

How do I know if my roof is suitable for solar panels?

A solar assessment will typically look at available roof space, orientation, shading and the condition and layout of the roof. These factors help determine how many panels can be installed and how effectively the system is likely to perform.

Does a bigger solar system always mean bigger savings?

Not necessarily. A system should be sized around your household’s electricity consumption and how you use energy throughout the day. Installing more panels than you realistically need may not always be the most effective setup.

Can I monitor how much electricity my solar panels are generating?

Many modern solar systems allow you to monitor production and energy use through an app or online platform. Depending on the system, you may also be able to see how much energy is being used, stored in your battery or exported to the grid.