Questions to Ask Before You Consider Installing Solar-Panels
If you are reading this then probably you are considering buying a solar power system for your house. Purchase of a solar power system for your home/office can be an overwhelming and exciting experience. While you must have come across various benefits of installing Solar-panels for your home and office and must have decided to finally install a solar panel for your home & office, you must consider the answers to the following questions before you install the Solar power system.
- What is the right shape and type of Solar-Panel that will be suitable for your rooftop?
Roofs come in various shapes and sizes. Gable rooftop, Mansard roof, Hip, Flat roof, Shed roof, Butterfly roof, Gambrel roof, to name a few. Hence your roof type needs to evaluated by the company technician for sufficient space to accommodate solar panels. Different roof types have different angular degrees of exposure pitches, which can affect the panel’s exposure to the sun and therefore your energy output.
- Is your house/office suitable for a Solar power system?
Whether your house/office is suitable for the Solar system or no is something you need to find out. There are certain indicators that you need to check for.
- Minimal shading: If your house is in a shaded area, then your solar energy system will not be able to generate sufficient energy hence it is necessary to ensure there is a continuous flow of direct sunlight. If your house is sitting in the shadow of a sky scraper or built next to a colosseum, then you must reconsider the decision of installation of a solar power system or may decide to buy a new home.
- Direction of Roof: The right direction of the roof is another critical factor to consider to get the most out of your Solar system.
- What is your exact need for a Solar power system?
There are various types of Solar technology to choose from depending upon your need. For example Solar thermal allows you to just hear water whereas Photovoltaic allows you to generate electricity.
- 4. How much energy do you actually use?
Every household consumes a different amount of energy depending on the number of people that live in the house, the number of electronic devices used, and so on.
- What is the current energy consumption in your house – The more electricity usage the greater is the savings and payoff from the solar panel.
- Whether the usage of the family will remain constant or change in the future?
- How does the consumption of electricity varies depending upon the seasons of the year – for example, the usage of electricity increases in summer months and reduces in the winter.
For a higher amount of energy use, you will need to buy a greater number of panels, and similarly, for a lower amount of energy you will need to install a lesser number of panels hence it is important to assess how many panels will be needed to produce sufficient amount of energy to meet the need of power for the house.
The size of the Solar Panels depends on 2 factors:
- Insolation
- Amount of energy required.
Assess your electricity bill, calculate the energy consumption per day on average, consult your technician, and decide on how large or small the system is approximately required to meet the needs of your home.
Hence speak to your technician to design the best solar panel to best accommodate your energy needs throughout the year and maximize your savings.
- What is the slope of your roof?
Solar-Panels absorb the sunlight like a sponge. The more direct sunlight on the Solar-Panel, the more energy it will generate in return. If your roof isn’t facing the sun, your solar panel will not produce enough energy. Depending on your geographical location and in which part of the country you live in, you need to place your Solar-Panel to get the maximum out of it.
- How long you plan to stay in your house?
If you are planning to live in the current house for a long time then installation of a Solar-Panels is a great idea since it will take a minimum of 5 to 6 years before your solar panels investment to pay off, of course with the installation of solar panels, you will immediately see a drop in electricity bills, panels themselves and their installation will not be cheap hence the total cost will be quite high. If you are a person who is on a constant move and does not live in any house for long then you need to reconsider the decision of installing a Solar-panel and think of alternative ways to decrease the electricity bills.
- 7. What type of Solar Panel Installation best suits your needs?
There are various types of Solar panels available in the market. You can choose from a Standard roof installation or ground-mounted system, or a Solar Carport. It will depend on your energy needs and your design aesthetics and not to forget, the amount of space available.
- Does warranties matter?
Warranties are the most important aspect to consider before buying Solar-Panels as it helps to protect the Solar-Panel and other requirements. A warranty keeps the manufacturer accountable if something happens to the Solar-Panel, without incurring any cost.
Hence check with your Solar-Panel company on the aspect of Warranty for your Solar-Panels.
- What about rebates and other financial incentives?
Check for the rebates and other financial incentives offered in your country as this will considerably reduce the cost of your Solar Installation. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the Central Government pays 30% of the benchmarked installation cost for rooftop PV systems. This subsidy is applicable in states that are in the general category. However, a subsidy of up to 70% of the benchmarked installation cost is offered in some states that lie in the special category — North MNRE PV Rooftop Cell.
Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/productline/power-generation/solar-subsidies-government-subsidies-and-other-incentives-for-installing-rooftop-solar-system-in-india/articleshow/69338706.cms?from=mdr
Now that you have assessed your Solar panels Questionnaire, it is time to generate clean, green, cost-saving, and lifetime access to natural resources of energy!