Solar energy has been on the rise over the years because of its environmental benefits. It also saves you on electricity bills, making it an option to consider for many homes. Modern solar panels can generate high amounts of energy which is suitable for running all your electronic components at your home.
Solar panels generate green sources of energy. There is no emission of toxic gases that pollutes the environment. Although the initial installation plan may be expensive, they have a lot of financial benefits in the long-run. It is also very easy to install and maintain a solar power system.
Even though solar power systems have environmental benefits, some components of the solar equipment generate both electric and magnetic field radiation.
Solar Panels and EMF Radiation
Solar panels consist of photovoltaic cells and other electronic components that are used to generate electricity. The cells rely on sunlight as a source of energy. These electronic components emit EMF radiation as the current flows from one device to another.
The solar panels use two types of photovoltaic technology: silicon cells and thin-film. Homes use crystalline silicon cells to generate electricity because it is non-toxic.
Thin-film panels use a different type of technology from the silicon cells. These types of solar panels are great for commercial purposes.
In addition, the thin-film panels have compounds such as cadmium, gallium arsenide, and telluride. These compounds do emit electromagnetic fields at a certain degree. Solar panels generate direct current (DC) electricity. The flow of DC down the solar panel components generates little amounts of EMF radiation compared to wires transmitting alternating current (AC).
Therefore, AC electricity flows through the wires and emits dirty electricity that is associated with high levels of EMF radiation.
So Do Solar Panels Emit Radiation?
Solar panels emit low EMF radiation which is not dangerous although the entire solar system does emit dirty electricity which can be a real issue. The dirty electricity generated increases EMF radiation in your home.
Each of the solar component devices features modern electronics that emit low levels of electromagnetic field (EMF) and radiofrequency (RF) radiation. For example, solar inverters, one of the components of the solar system, convert DC power generated by solar panels into AC power for use by various electronic devices. The inverter acts as a source of EMF and RF radiation as it converts DC to AC power.
The EMF radiation that is emitted consists of protons moving at different frequencies and assuming different attributes, while the RF from the solar inverters is non-ionizing.
The solar inverters generate low amounts of EMF radiation and so do the wires carrying AC current from the inverter. The DC wires from the solar panels into the inverter don’t emit the same type of EMF radiation emitted by the AC wires.
The DC wires only emit static magnetic fields when the current is flowing through the wires.
How a Solar System Works
The solar system consists of various components with each component emitting different types of radiation. These components can be classified into four parts:
- The solar panels
- The wiring system
- Smart meter or solar controller
- The inverter
Since solar panels on their own don’t emit dangerous EMF, so they will not put you at high risk of radiation. The solar panels only generate a low voltage DC electricity that emits low amounts of EMF radiation.
In addition, the panels are usually installed on rooftops or outside the house where they absorb sun rays. Therefore, they’re not anywhere near your body and even if they generated high-levels of EMF radiation it won’t have affected you.
When the sunlight hits the solar panels, they convert the solar energy into electricity. The photovoltaic cells inside the solar panels have the ability to produce electricity from the solar energy.
The generated energy is transferred to other solar components through the wiring system. Connecting the solar panels with the inverter will ensure the generated DC flows to the inverter and then it is converted into 120 volts AC which powers all electronics in your home.
The inverters are installed inside the house. For example, you can have a large inverter box near the major electrical appliances in your home or you can have a micro-inverter underneath the solar panels or closer to the panels.
The micro inverters transfer current into a larger inverter which can then distribute power to other appliances.
The electricity energy from the solar panels is clean while the AC electricity flowing from the inverters emits some dirty electricity.
You can also install a solar controller to regulate the amount of electricity sent to the inverters.
Install a Smart Meter
Alternatively, you can install smart meters to monitor the amount of electricity generated from the solar panels and the amount that goes to the grid. The smart meters can also monitor how much energy you’re using and how efficient your solar system is.
Some smart meters send the recorded power consumption information to the suppliers for billing and monitoring.
Installing smart meters increases the amount of EMF radiation emitted inside the house. This is because the smart meters use wireless transmission of data packets. As they transmit data wirelessly they emit large amounts of radiofrequency (RF) radiation.
Therefore, the solar panels themselves don’t emit EMF radiation but the solar system process does emit high-levels of EMF radiation. Most of the radiation from the system is generated by the smart meters and dirty electricity generated by the inverters.
The entire solar power system is enclosed within the solar panels, the wiring and the use of inverters. The functioning of your solar power system doesn’t interfere with other devices in your home or office. It doesn’t interfere with your Wi-Fi network or cellular network.
Radiation from Smart Meters
Just like other wireless devices, smart meters emit radio frequency radiation. The smart meter monitors electricity generated and the amount being used by all connected devices. As it transmits signals, it generates non-ionizing radiation.
The radiation generated has negative health effects if you’re exposed for longer periods. You can also be affected by RF radiation from Wi-Fi devices, cell phones, cell towers, etc.
Have a look at this detailed article on EMF radiation from smart meters.
Dirty Electricity from Solar Panel Inverters
Dirty electricity results in un-usable current that is trapped in the wiring. If the solar panels generate a higher amount of electricity than what’s needed for use by the connected appliances, the excess electricity is trapped in the wires.
Modern electronic devices are designed to use less energy and as a result, the unusable electric energy bounces back due to the high levels of frequency voltage transients.
The trapped electricity in the wiring system increases EMF radiation into your home or office. In most cases, dirty electricity is emitted by devices that use 60 or 50 Hz electrical wiring systems, for example:
- When the inverter converts 60 Hz AC into a low voltage DC
- When using a high voltage AC
- When devices draw power intermittently they are drawing power in a smaller burst, usually in seconds as the current keeps on turning on and off.
Converting the low-voltage DC power from the solar panels to usable AC power around your home generates dirty electricity. The dirty electricity builds up in your wiring system and with time, it will expose you to large amounts of EMF radiation.
If you’re sensitive to electromagnetic radiation, you will be more affected. The amount of radiation from inverters and smart meters can be very dangerous to your health.
Read more on RF and dirty electricity from solar power systems here.
Ways to Protect Yourself
1. Do Away with Smart Meters
You can decide to reduce the amount of EMF exposure by doing away with smart meters. There are states that install smart meters in your solar system, and if you decide to opt out, you may be charged some fee. While other states have no problem with you opting out, others won’t allow you to opt out. Always follow power regulation rules according to your state.
Alternatively you can install a solar controller which only monitors the current being generated by the solar panels and ensures the current is not trapped in the wiring system. The solar controllers emit small amounts of radiation compared to smart meters.
2. Keeping Distance
Maintaining distance between you and the source of EMF radiation is a great way of protecting yourself. Though the solar panels do not emit electromagnetic radiation, the inverters and smart meters do. Keeping distance from them will limit the risk of exposure.
The inverter and smart meters should be installed in a room where there is less foot traffic. This ensures radiation is only concentrated in areas where there is less traffic.
3. Use of Smart Meter Covers
Another alternative method of protecting yourself from the exposure is to use smart meter covers.
The covers are made of stainless steel material that can block up to 98% of RF and EMF radiation emitted. The smart meter cover acts as a Faraday cage and it is placed on the glass part of the smart meter. This cover blocks the RF radiation emitted by the smart meter.
4. Use of EMF Protection Paint
EMF protection paint will help reduce non-ionizing radiation from the smart meters and other electromagnetic radiation from wireless transmitters.
Paint the shared wall with a smart meter on it with shielding paint to block RF radiation from the smart meters. You can also paint all your walls with the shielding paint to protect yourself from EMF signals coming from your neighbors. This will give you maximum protection from all types of EMF radiations, including microwave signals and radio frequency signals.
The paint is a blend of plants and potassium silicate that provides you with a more durable EMF protection for your home. When applying the paint, follow the instructions in the application package. You should also cover the paint with a prime coat and a plastic binder to enhance the protection.
5. EMF Anti-blocking Frame Liner
You can put the anti-blocking frame liner on the smart meter frame and any other frame of any EMF emitting source.
The frame liner only blocks radiation emitted on a small area, since you can’t have the frame liner for a large area. Therefore using the frame to cover the smart meter can help reduce the risk of exposure.
Products that Provide Protection from Dirty Electricity
You can protect yourself from dirty electricity by plugging Graham Stetzer filters or Greenwave filters into each of your power outlets. The filters lower the amount of dirty electricity in your solar system wiring. Reducing the dirty electricity in your home will reduce your exposure to EMF radiation.
Greenwave Dirty Electricity Filter Mobile Travel Kit
This Greenwave kit consists of two filters that you can use to filter dirty electricity from your wiring system at home.
The filters are plugged into the installed power outlets at home and they reduce emission of dirty electricity.
Each of the filters has a built-in outlet at its base. You can also buy Greenwave’s EMI dirty electricity meter to measure dirty electricity at your home before and after plugging in the filters.
Stetzerizer Microsurge Meter and Electromagnetic Pollution Filters
This product has a microsurge meter and a set of 3 filters. The filters reduce RF radiation and dirty electricity generated by your household wiring system. The microsurge meter measures the amount of dirty electricity you’re exposed to in your home.
The filters are a simple plug-in device, and they improve the quality of electricity in your house by reducing EMF pollution from the wires.
Summary
Solar panel power systems are very beneficial if you want to reduce the cost of utility bills. The solar power system is environmentally friendly since the system doesn’t contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. However, the solar system as a whole does emit electromagnetic radiation that can be harmful with long-term exposure.
Though the solar panels themselves do not emit radiation, the other solar components like the inverters and smart meters do emit a lot of EMF radiation. Solar inverters emit dirty electricity that increases the amount of EMF radiation in your home.
Long-term exposure to the radiated radio frequency causes negative health issues to people.
If you’re highly sensitive to electromagnetic radiation, you shouldn’t install a solar power system in your house. However, if the solar power system is already in place, ensure the inverter is installed in a room with less traffic. Don’t put it in a room where you spend most of your time.
You can also get smart meter covers to shield you from the EMF radiation generated by the meters. Install filters in order to filter all dirty electricity in your solar power system.
