Solar photovoltaic systems, often called solar PV for short, are made up of a number of components, the biggest and most important being the solar panels, solar inverters, mounting platforms, and cabling infrastructure. Combined, these components harness radiant light from the sun, convert it into electricity and transmit it into homes and businesses to power electrical devices, like lights and appliances, and provide heating and cooling via the electrical currents they create.

Selecting the right solar PV system can be everything from an investment standpoint - too small of a solar system and buyers, energy demands aren't met, too large of a system and buyers will overspend on a system that generates too much power and potentially fails to generate a return on their investment. The first step consumers should take is to identify how much electricity they need or want their system to generate.