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Home > Learning Center > Solar panels

Solar panels

Where Should I Install My Solar Panels?

Many people are embracing the green living revolution and installing solar panels on their home. One of the biggest issues facing these homeowners is where to put the panels.

Most people automatically assume the roof is the best place for the panels. There are many advantages of having the solar array on the roof:

• The roof often has the greatest unobstructed view of the sun throughout the year.
• The roof allows the consumer to get the panels out of the way.
• The panel mounting systems for roofs are generally pretty simple.

What most people don't know however is that a roof installation has several disadvantages.

• Often homeowners do not have a roof surface that faces south, the optimal direction for solar installations in North America.
• Roof angles may not be the same as the optimum solar panel angle, complicating installation.
  Installations on roofs, while simple mechanically, can be dangerous and hard to do for homeowners.
• Obstructions such as plumbing vents, air conditioning units, and trees can shade small parts of the panels, drastically reducing the efficiency of the array.
• Cleaning and snow removal is much harder when the system is roof mounted
• Changing the panel angle for seasonal adjustments is difficult.

One of the first tasks in deciding where to mount your panels is to determine just how much space you need. Today's crystalline solar panels (the most common panel on the market today) take about one square foot of space for every 10 watts they produce. For example, if you decided that you wanted about 2000 watts for your home, you would take 2000 W and divide it by 10 W/sq.ft., which would equal 200 sq.ft. This is about 14 feet by 14 feet square.

Now its time to look at your home or business where the system is needed. What angle does the roof have? The array should be at an angle from the horizontal (or flat ground) that is equal to the latitude where you live. For example, Boulder Colorado is at 40 degrees latitude, so panels installed there should be 40 degrees from horizontal. Many people have roofs at or near 12:12, which means that the roof rises 12" for every 12" in the horizontal. Therefore a 12:12 roof is at 45 degrees. For most US installations, somewhere near 35-45 degrees is adequate. Only in extreme southern or northern latitudes does the angle vary much from this range.

Of great concern in the design process is shading. Even small vents shading your panels can create big problems for your system. Often is preferable to alter the ANGLE of your system to avoid SHADING. If you're very serious about evaluating the shading on your potential site, you can purchase a Solar Pathfinder. This ingenious device will show you exactly what obstructions will shade your panels at what time of year. This device is an essential tool in a potential solar installer's toolbox. Something to keep in mind: trees grow. How tall will the trees around your property be in 10 years, when your panels are barely starting their functional life?

So what are the options if shading and roof angle isn't optimal? Often deck railings, porch covers, and even shed roofs are great for solar power centers. They are usually more accessible for cleaning and snow removal, and they have the added benefit of being more visible. Many consumers who are very proud of their clean energy contributions like guests to be able to see and touch the panels.

Ground mounted systems are great for people with ample space. This minimizes the danger of roof work and makes adjusting them for seasonal sun shifts easier. Many advancements have been made in ground-mounted tracking systems. These systems have a post that holds the panels up on a swiveling bracket. A heat-sensitive refrigerant that is contained in the outer frame of the unit heats up as the sun hits it, collecting fluid in this area, and then tilting the panel in that direction. The result is a silent, powerless unit that follows the sun across the sky. Very clever.

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