We say, where there’s a will, there’s a way!
Solar power technology has come a long way and both residential solar installations and commercial solar installations are suitable for most homes and businesses, especially in Australia. There are so many advantages of solar panels and more and more people are doing their bit for clean energy and reducing the burning of fossil fuels, whilst making their own significant savings for their home and business. But before you start your clean energy journey, you might want to consider your property’s suitability for a solar powered system before you purchase solar panels. Read more for all the factors that should spring to mind when thinking about solar for your home or business.
Climate
Our sunny climate in Australia means that our solar powered projects are incredibly efficient and solar power systems here in Oz, work more effectively than their equivalent systems in countries such as the UK. So the good news for us is that solar panels in Australia, are working above and beyond their average levels. Australia is a country lucky enough to capture one of the highest hours of sunlight on Earth. It’s even better in summer and springtime, as there’s an average of seven to eight hours of sunshine per day- plenty of sunshine to go round for everyone.
Roof Angle
When considering solar panels you will need to consider the size and type of roof you have on your property. The angle that your panels are mounted onto your roof will ultimately affect how much power you will gain from your panels. In Australia, the standard roof pitches are 18° or 22.5° so your installers are likely to mount your panels at this angle. If you have a flat roof, you can install panels that are mounted on a bracket to face the sun, although unfortunately this will make your installation overall more expensive.
The best angles for rooftop solar panels all depend on your location on the Earth. The lower your latitude wherever you are, the higher the sun is in the sky and your latitude should be the same angle as how your solar panels are fitted. For example, in Melbourne, the latitude is 37 degrees and therefore your panels should be mounted at roughly 37 degrees to capture the most sunlight.
For any type of solar system installation, a north facing roof is preferred. A north facing roof will be more exposed to sunlight. If your roof is East of West facing, then fear not. A solar powered system can still be installed on an East or West facing roof and is only slightly less ideal than a North facing roof. Unfortunately, South facing roofs are not 100% appropriate for solar panels and your installers might even suggest alternative solutions such as installing ground mounted solar panels in brackets, rather than having them on the roof.
Shaded Roof?
Shaded areas on your roof will affect the ability of your solar panels. Take a look at your roof to see if there are large shaded areas over your roof. There might be trees shading your roof or other houses shading areas of your roof which might cause a problem for your solar panel installation. If possible, you should cut away trees that are shading your roof. Your installers will be able to advise a solution to overcome shaded areas of the roof, by installing the panels on a more appropriate section of your roof, away from potential shaded areas. At Energis, we offer a set up where each solar panel has its own ‘micro-inverter’. Instead of a large inverter at the end of an array of panels on a string set up, there is a small inverter at the back of each panel. The inverter will convert DC to AC and each panel works individually. This means that if one panel is shaded a tree or fallen debris, only one panel will be affected. If one panel is shaded on a string set up, this will affect the ability of all the other panels connected to it. Unfortunately, micro- inverters are sometimes likely to break down for different reasons. One being, the heat from the sun might affect the micro inverter and cause it to work less efficiently. Micro- inverters are also a more expensive option for your system set up.
Another alternative is to use ‘power optimizers’. A power optimizer is also a small device that sits behind each solar panel. A power optimizer does not convert the electricity, but will increase the efficiency of each solar panel and optimize the volts.
Is your roof strong enough?
More often than not, yes, your roof will be strong enough to sustain the weight of solar panels. It is very rare that your roof will be too weak for solar panels but your installers will carry out an assessment to make sure that your roof is suitable. On average, solar panels and the mounting equipment that comes with them, weigh 10-20 kg per square meter. Your installers will evenly distribute weight to your roof in a way that will not cause leaks, or general damage to your roof.
For more information on solar panels for your home or business– call Energis on 1300 782 217. One of our energy experts will be more than happy to speak to you and answer any additional questions you might have on all about solar panels, solar panel benefits, different types of solar panels or anything else you need to know!
