Would solar power work only when the sun is shining or can the energy be stored?

Question

Would solar power work only when the sun is shining or can the energy be stored?

Answer 1

Generally the solar energy is used to charge batteries which can then power your home or whatever even if the sun is not shining at any particular moment.

Answer 2

The answers thus far were limited to small sites, a home or a vehicle.  For community size solar power networks we could use large dams.  In the day time when the sun is shining water is pumped from the lower dam to the higher dam.  At night water is run back down through turbines to the lower dam.  This is now done at some sites(see pyramid/Castaic dams in Southern California).  It is not for solar but based on the greater need for power in mid day as compared to after dark.  It is more efficient to run some power plants 24 hours then to shut them down when not needed.

Answer 3

solar panels with with a power distribution terminal board wired in with it....this in confusing so I will break it down a little bit further for you.

The solar panels have two wires that connect to a board that has 6 connection points on it.

2 connection points for the solar panel

2 connection points for a rechargeable battery

2 connection points for a load (the stuff being powered up)

As the solar panels are getting sunlight, they are doing 2 things.  Powering your house and recharging the batteries.

when the solar light is gone, for example at night time, your house is being ran off of the batteries power.  Then daytime comes and the sunlight powers your house and recharges the batteries again for that night, and this process continues on and on and on.

Answer 4

Solar panels with a bank of batteries is a good way to go for providing 24 hour power.

Answer 5

yes, it can be stored

Answer 6

The sun is so hot it doesnt need 2 be shining 2 get solar power. Take a solar powred calcultor 4 instance try turning it on in the middle of the night it will still work. Solar power cn also b stored like u sed if not all of it is used at once.

Answer 7

The energy is stored in a series of batteries

.

I had a solar panel once on my Landrover in Africa ,

that was connected to a spare car battery ,so that i had music at night and could run my video equipment.

Irrigation pumps usually only use a converter so that the pump works when the sun shines ,

but solar systems for houses use 12 volt storage batteries

the more panels and the more batteries

the more power you will have