Placement Options For The Installation Of A Solar Panel Array
The declining cost of solar panels continues to generate interest in solar energy systems for homes. Solar panels for houses are typically installed on a rooftop, but homeowners may have another installation option. Some residential parcels contain enough open space to install a ground-mounted array of solar panels.
For a small residential lot, the rooftop of a house may be the only practical location to install solar panels. A rooftop installation makes practical use of otherwise unused space. However, on residential parcels of all sizes, a home may be shaded by trees. Regardless of whether solar panels are on a roof or on a ground-mounted rack, the basic principles used to harvest energy from the sun remain the same.
Energy conversions
Solar panels convert solar energy into a form of electricity referred to as direct current. A separate component, known as an inverter, then converts the direct current to an alternating current. After the conversion, the alternating current is available for use by household AC appliances. The installation location chosen for your solar panel array may have some bearing on electricity output.
Direct sun exposure
The advantage of installing solar panels on a ground-mounted rack is that the panels can be positioned for optimal exposure to the sun. Some houses might not have a roof area with adequate southern exposure. After you choose a location for the installation of solar panels, you have another important decision to make concerning the inverter.
Advantages of micro-inverters
Instead of using a single inverter, you may prefer to use a separate micro-inverter for each solar panel. If there is only a single inverter, the shading of one solar panel may reduce the output of the entire system. You also may find it easier to expand the size of the solar array if multiple micro-inverters are used. The power rating of a single inverter for the original system might be inadequate for additional panels.
Solar panels are surprisingly lightweight and require little maintenance. Micro-inverters are smaller than a standard power inverter. A standard inverter might require a dedicated space due to its size. In contrast, each micro-inverter may be installed underneath its corresponding solar panel. With micro-inverters, there is minimal wiring needed for direct current electricity. As a result, most of the wiring is for standard AC current.
Some utility companies compensate homeowners for excess electricity fed back into the power grid. Contact an energy company like EcoSmart Home Services for more information about the installation of solar panels.
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