Everything You Need to Know About Solar Power for Your Home

With the rapidly increasing environmental crisis, people are altering their life choices for a greener earth. These life choices also include changing lifestyles and in turn, switching to renewable energy sources like solar power for homes. In fact, the World Economic Forum predicts that the world will be adding 70,000 solar panels every hour by the end of 2022. However, before you proceed to install solar panels for homes, we suggest you know these four basic things. This will enable you to be prepared for the installation without incurring additional costs in the future.

Knowing Which Solar Technology You Want

Before you are absolutely sure about getting solar power for home, you should be aware of the two dominant solar technologies in the market. The two solar technologies – photovoltaic and thermal, both power from the sun but function in two different ways. Photovoltaic solar technology uses arrays of cells to convert solar energy into electricity. On the other hand, thermal solar technology runs on heating fuel. The heat from the sun heats up the fuel and warms up your home. Homes that extensively use energy for heating are recommended to avoid using solar thermal power.

Evaluating the Costs

Solar power for homes is extremely expensive so be wise when you choose an installer for the same. Evaluate quotes from different sources and check what meets your budget and needs. According to Energy Hub, the average cost of the solar panel goes up to $3.01/watt, or $22,500 for a 7.5kW system. Other than that, costs for solar power for homes may also differ depending on the system size.

Analyzing Your Roof Position

Installing solar panels even though your roof doesn’t get the required amount of sunlight may not be the best decision. In such cases, solar power can either be avoided or people can resort to another alternative to still have solar power for homes. The two most common ways adopted by people to get solar energy in their homes is, either to opt for ground-mounted solar panels or go for community solar gardens. Ground-mounted solar panels can be placed on the ground that is exposed to sunlight. The maintenance for this is born by you with other home maintenance. On the other hand, community solar can power a number of homes in a row instead of just yours and its maintenance is not just your responsibility.

Deciding on the Grid Connection

The majority of the solar power for homes is connected with a grid. This means that that your solar usage will be recorded on net-metering if your solar system overproduces electricity. On the other hand, if you are not connected to the grid i.e. your solar power is off-grid, you won’t be connected to your utility for electricity needs. If you choose to go off-grid, you also need to equip your house with additional energy storage. This backs up the power for days when your solar panels are not exposed to enough sunlight.

While there is more to a solar energy source for homes, the above-mentioned details will let you begin with some serious foundational thinking before commencing the project. For more detailed information, you can always consult with Davery Homes.