Photo Voltaic (PV) panels, or solar electric panels, are the first step to converting solar energy for use at home. They can be plates of varying sizes made of semiconducting materials, such as crystal silicon, which has light-absorbing properties that convert light energy into current. Current produced in the panel then flows to a circuit connected to the panel.
A charge controller is the second component in the procedure to convert solar energy to electricity. It is an electrical equipment used to regulate the voltage and current leading to the batteries. A charge controller is important, as it protects the batteries in the solar panel system from damage. For solar systems rated 12V, for example, produce more than the stated voltage to about 20V that may end up damaging the batteries that mostly only require 14.5V to charge, thus having to incorporate the use of a charge controller to tone the voltage down.
Batteries store power generated by the solar panels. Solar panels work best when the sun is shining the brightest. Solar panels don't work at night and without means of storing the excess energy produced during the day, you won't have any power to use at night or any other scenarios with little or no sunlight.
Solar power inverters are appliances capable of converting direct current produced by the solar panels and stored in batteries to alternating current required by most electronics in a house. They range from those that produce 100 watts to those that produce up to 8000 watts. It is important, however, to calculate the total wattage all the electronics you require to choose a suitable inverter. Add up the load for all the appliances to obtain the total wattage for your inverter.