Residential Solar Energy Installation

Switching to solar energy from conventional energy sources is increasing day by day. Are you planning to switch to solar power? Well, you are at the right place.

Installing solar energy is not just buying, installing, and turning it on. There are much more thoughts to be given and considered before, after, and during the installation process. First, you need to know why you should go solar, not just because everyone is installing, but identifying the actual need for you to go solar plays a vital role in determining the factors to be considered for installing residential solar energy.

Are you worried? Worry not. Here we discuss the various aspects of residential solar energy that you need to know for installing the residential solar energy system.

How Does the Solar Energy System Work?

Solar energy system uses solar panels, roofing tiles, or shingles to convert solar energy or sunlight to direct current. The direct current is not suitable for electricity for the appliances. The solar panels use an inverter to convert the direct current to actual current to make it ideal for usage as electricity. The actual electricity gets stored in the battery in the solar panels to be used as required.

Difference Between On-Grid And Off-Grid System

When you install a solar panel, you have two options to choose from. You can either opt for an On-grid system or an Off-grid system.

The off-Grid system has a standalone solar panel without being dependent on the local utility for any backup. This system is best suitable for rural areas with no nearby local utility centers. It is essential to keep in mind that your solar panel will not have any backup when the electricity stored in the battery is all used up.

An on-grid system is an arrangement where you have a tie-up with the local utility center for using electricity as a backup for the solar panel. Further, you can also sell the excess power generated in your solar panel to the utility.

Where Can I Put Residential Solar Energy?

Solar energy can be put up either in the roof or mounted in the ground.

If you plan to install them on the roof, you must have enough space and exposure to the sun. The size of the top is important. If there is limited roof space, you may consider mounting them in the south-facing wall or on the ground.

Is Shade a Problem To The System?

Of course, Yes. The heat absorption reduces drastically if the shade completely covers your solar panel.

It is imperative to make sure you don’t have any branches of the trees or debris covering the solar panels, and it might reduce the efficiency of the solar panels.

Should a new roof be installed before doing residential solar energy installation?

Before installing the solar energy system, make sure your roof is strong enough to carry the solar system’s weight. You need not change the roof unless they are in bad condition and unable to support the installation.

Several solar products are introduced in the market, like tiles and shingles, which help in easily integrating the solar system into the rooftop and enhance the roof’s appearance.

Do reflectors or mirrors around the solar panels during residential solar energy installation increase the power they generate?

Yes. You certainly can. Adding the reflectors and mirrors around the solar system can help concentrate heat around the panels and aids in producing more energy. It helps in increasing the efficiency of solar panels.

Make sure that you hire an expert to make this arrangement for you. The concentration of more heat should be managed wisely to avoid fire hazards.

How many solar panels do I need?

Well, there is no tailor-made answer to this question. It depends on several factors including,

  • Geographical location
  • Electricity usage
  • Climate
  • Sunlight that you receive at the roof, and
  • Size of your panel.

You may need to use the services of the experts who can assist you in determining the number of solar panels that you need to install with the available space and location.

Can I still install the residential solar system if it can’t be mounted on my roof?

Yes. If you do not have the correct exposure and angel at the roof, you have the option to mount them in the south-facing wall or at the ground. But the efficiency is not as much as rooftop solar panels.

Moreover, the cost of ground-mounted and wall-mounted solar panels is much more, and the payback period is considerably longer.

Can I still do residential solar power installation if I rent a home?

Legally, you will not have any right to install a grid-tied system while installing a solar power system. If the landlord or the house owner agrees to a grid-tied system, he will be the person who benefitted from the power-back system.

You can choose to install a standalone power system. Before installing the standalone power system, make sure you enter into an agreement with the landlord and clearly define the terms of installation and responsibility clause in case of any damage.

What is an inverter?

An Inverter is equipment that converts the Direct Current to Actual Current. If you have connected your home with a utility, the appliances use AC for electricity. To enable your solar system, to assist the devices to work, you will need an inverter to convert the DC to AC.

There are two types of Inverters. You can either use a UPS – the battery used to store the solar power for usage Or you can have a tie-up with the utility grid for storing the solar energy.

What about accumulating and storing solar power?

Yes. You can accumulate and store solar power. But how? You have two options.

You will need special industrial batteries to store large arrays of electricity. These batteries are not easily portable and require regular maintenance to keep them working.

You also can connect your solar power with the local power grid where the energy gets stored. If the grid runs short of solar power, the electricity can be used from the utility grid. You can also sell them to the utility grid if you have excess capacity.

Takeaway

Are all your questions answered well? So, wait, not. Go ahead and plan your installation for residential solar power. Save energy and save the environment!