We can divide solar panel applications into 2 types:
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standalone systems
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grid connected systems
Grid connected systems has been expanding rapidly since 1990. One driver for this is government rebates and incentive schemes.
Standalone PV Systems
Standalone photovoltaically powered systems can be small with peak PV power in the milliwatts to large, with peak PV power in the multi kilowatts. They aren’t connected to an electricity grid. If continuous, uninterrupted power is required, a storage system is needed for night and heavy cloud covered days. The storage required is usually integrated into the system.
Presently there are a large number of standalone systems, from solar calculators and watches, traffic control systems, to completely off the grid houses, where a PV system powers one or more houses. They can be dc systems with or without batteries, or ac with an inverter.
Not all standalone off the grid PV systems are powered solely by the sun, some are hybrid systems where a fossil fuel powered generator can switch in and take some or all of the load. Some hybrid systems also use wind, hydro or biomass.
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