Today, a lot of people are going solar by installing solar rooftop systems. It is not unknown to us that Solar Energy is one of the most reliable sources of renewable energy available to us today. And with the ever-looming threat of global warming today, the world is currently racing to make this technology widespread. Renewable energy has a minimal to zero carbon footprint, hence, it is essential to make our world and our environment a better place to be in. Installing a solar rooftop is a wonderful way to generate electricity for your home and business, without increasing your impact on the environment.
However, there are many things that you need to consider before you install a solar rooftop system in your home. Here is a list of a few things that you need to take into consideration before getting a solar rooftop panel installed.
Types of solar panels
There are three types of solar panels used in a solar rooftop system
- Monocrystalline
Here the cells are cut from an ingot grown from a single large crystal of silicon. These panels are expensive and space-efficient.
- Polycrystalline
Here the cells are cut from an ingot made up of many small crystals of silicon. These panels are less expensive and have slightly lower heat tolerance.
- Amorphous
These are thin, small panels made up of several layers of photovoltaic material.
Feasibility of rooftops for generating power
For home solar rooftop systems, the nature of the roof is very important to determine its feasibility. The factors that need to be considered are as follows:
- The availability of sunlight throughout the year and the area available on the rooftop is important to calculate the power that can be generated. The availability is seen with the sunlight rays falling on the rooftop. If sunlight falls for 8 hours then the solar panel can produce 2320 watts of electric power.
- The orientation of the rooftop towards the sun is important. Exposure towards the south is the ideal orientation for the panel. If the roof is naturally sloping and facing south then it is very ideal for installing rooftop solar panels. This is because India is situated in the northern hemisphere and south-facing rooftops receive the maximum amount of sunlight as the earth rotates on its own axis at an inclination. However, if the roof is flat solar panels will need to be placed at an angle facing south to receive the maximum possible sunlight. Further, high-rise buildings should not hinder the exposure of the solar panels to sunlight.
- The decision on choosing a suitable type of rooftop solar system or panel impacts the cost of the system. Each type involves different components and the costs could vary depending on them.
Cost-benefit
The homeowner can make a cost analysis and decide on the quantum of electricity to be produced so as to be profitable. This could include meeting the home owner’s power needs and the amount of power that can be transferred to the grid to generate additional revenues.
Rooftop solar systems are becoming a popular source of electric power because it is a renewable energy source and it is abundantly available during the day. With careful planning, implementing an appropriate rooftop solar system can translate into a never-ending electric power supply at minimal recurring expenses.
