How to Decide Where to Install Your New Solar Panel Power Kit
How to Decide Where to Install Your New Solar Panel Power Kit
More and more people are 'going green' and installing solar power kits on their homes and businesses. Solar energy is a great way to offset the carbon being spewed into the air by countless coal-burning power plants and protect our future. The energy they produce after installation is virtually free.
It's also more affordable than ever before to install these systems. But before you decide how much you can spend on a system and how many panels you need you should answer this question: Where will they go? Here we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of placing your panels in three places: the roof of your home; on an out-building; on the ground.
On the roof of your home or business. This is probably the most obvious place.
Advantages:
Panels on the roof are usually out of the way and less visible
It usually provides a large, stable, and even surface for the panels to rest on
There are usually less obstructions and trees in the roof area that will shade the panels
Roof installation systems (the brackets and bolting) are pretty simple
The panels will be probably be close to the electric meter and the primary consumption of electricity
Disadvantages:
If the roof does not have a south-facing slope the installation can get complicated
The roof angle may not be optimal for the array. Systems in the US are usually set at or near 45 degrees
Roof work can be dangerous
The panels may be hard to access for snow-removal or occasional cleanings
The panels usually cannot be moved or adjusted for the sun angle
On an out-building. This could be a storage shed, garage, barn, or even a deck on the main house.
Advantages:
The panels will probably be out of the way
The panels and related components (inverter, disconnects, batteries if needed) can all be stored together and usually out of sight.
These structures are usually closer to the ground and easier for installation, cleaning and snow removal
Disadvantages:
These installations are usually fixed and therefore the angle cannot be adjusted
Roof angle may not be optimal
These buildings may be far away from the house, where the most of the consumption takes place. In general, you want the panels close to the consumption to avoid losing energy while transferring it to other locations
Installing the units on a deck can make them very visible and prone to damage from human error
On the ground. There are several options for putting your panels right on the ground.
Advantages:
Ground mounted systems are easy to install and clean
Tracking systems are ideal for ground installation. These systems actually move with the sun using a powerless system. This increases the amount of energy collected significantly
They are easier to adjust for manual adjusting systems
Disadvantages:
These systems can be more prone to shading concerns
The array is more visible and more in the way
They may require more hardware to get the units to the proper angle
They may be further from the house, increasing installation cost and decreasing efficiency
This should help you decide where to put your system, then you can decide what kind of system you can afford.
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