TOP 5 wacky solar inventions! #4 killed me!

Solar Panels are spreading like wildfire right now, they are EVERYWHERE an in the most oddest of places. Mainly because you can go pretty much anywhere in the day and you'll be under the sun (obviously). The human attraction to solar power is growing by leaps and bounds over the past 4 years because the technology is finally being realised. You nay sayers, blowing down solar panels about their efficiency are stuck in the past. Germany are running on 50% solar power and we all know how efficient they are! Without further adieu here are my top ten solar panel locations, proving how versatile the technology really is.

1. The Solar Power Fan Cap

Probably not the pinnacle of solar power's potential, but wacky indeed. Obviously choosing practicality over fashion this really does make the most of your head space. It's designed to cool the face by using the fan mounted on the ridge, running on the solar panel above the head. It wouldn't be a bad idea too if it didn't look a tad ridiculous. The best thing is these can be bought on Amazon! I enjoy it don't get me wrong. Part of me wants to buy it, but I'm more of a Sombrero 'fan' myself. 

2. Solar Moon

Not to be confused with the popular anime, Sailor Moon. This is a project being developed by Japan and the USA and it's not as far fetched as you might think! A Tokyo-based Shimizu Corp. wants to lay a belt of solar panels 250 miles wide around the equator of our orbiting neighbour and then relay the constant supply of energy to “receiving stations” on Earth by way of lasers or microwave transmission. 

The “Luna Ring” that is being proposed would be capable of sending 13,000 terawatts of power to Earth. I guess the only appropriate reaction to that is...

It's a massive amount of power seen as in 2011 the USA alone generated 4,100 terawatts. Shimizu have yet to put a price tag on the construction costs involved, but given adequate funding the company believes construction work could get under way as early as 2035.

3. Floating Solar

This floating solar power plant technology was developed last year by a team led by SP Gon Choudhury, Chairman of the Renewable Energy College. With the total estimated cost of Rs 35 lakh ($63,600), the first pilot project is scheduled to be commissioned this year in October at a lake in the outskirts of Kolkata in West Bengal. The funding for the pilot project was provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Solar panels will be installed on floating platforms which will be anchored firmly to avoid undulation of the panels around the surface of the water. Capital cost for this floating installation is approximately $1.18 Million per MW with power generation cost of Rs 7 ($0.13) per unit. 

Enough of the technical malarky, they are odd. No denying it, can you imagine swimming out to sea and see those giant circular monstrosities! I do like the concept though. Make most the space we have, although less of the solar fan cap space saving!

4. Donkey Solar

Now we've all wanted our solar panels portable, but on a little donkey? I'm pretty sure if it had the speed it could take off with those wings! Donkey's are famed for carrying heavy loads, Pregnant women, the unborn messiah now it's renewable technology; I guess the best animal to carry important cargo is a donkey! Its not just this donkey though...

 A 3rd world version of an eco car, a Toyota Pri-asinus?

5. Solar Fashion

Well I'd hardly call it fashion lets face it, it's sort of hideous. It's called 'wearable solar' and it's purpose is mainly to charge your phone and other devices while on the go, guess we know what iPhone users will be wearing... Obviously something like this would never catch on, but still it's a step forward! Lose the 80's shoulder pads and the Tron style look and it could look pretty good! 

Oh, it's not the only wearable solar either, introducing the solartie! Again for charging our phones (seeing a pattern yet?) and again, hideous. Guess we are just solar power mad! Just imagine the get up you will have with a solar fan cap, tron solar suit and a solartie! Would you get beaten up? Probably. But think of the positives, you would be able to taste defeat with a cool face and enough battery to call an ambulance.

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

Cleaning Your Solar Panels Saves You Money!

Solar panels are generally self cleaning, but in particularly dry months and summers, or where panel tilt is minimal, dust and other substances such as bird droppings can build up over time and impact on the amount electricity generated by a module. Grime and bird poop doesn't need to cover an entire panel to have an effect. Even something the size of an inch across can have a detrimental effect on your electrical generation.

Photo Credit: Len Matthews

Tips for cleaning solar panel glass

Safety first - follow the procedure in your manual for shutting down the system before commencing cleaning.

For safety reasons, it's also wise to clean your panels from the ground if possible. A good quality soft brush and a squeegee with a plastic blade on one side and a cloth covered sponge on the other coupled with a long extension can make for the perfect tools allowing you to stay on the ground. Use a hose with a suitable nozzle to allow the stream of water to reach the panels.

   

NOTE: If cleaning your panels from the ground is not possible, do not attempt to access your rooftop unless you have the appropriate safety equipment and training. If you don't; hire a suitably qualified professional instead. Although we are combating this by developing our own type of solar panel cleaning product, with chemicals specially designed for maximum output for your solar panels and a long extension rod to get to those high to reach places, 25-30 footers this means you won't have to be forking out, paying for the clean up when you can do it yourself easily in 10 minutes!

Photo Credit: Jesse Wagstaff

TOP TIP: Clean your panels on an overcast day, early in the morning or in the evening. If the sun is beating down on the panels, any water used can quickly evaporate and dirt will become smeared. 

Early morning can be a particularly good time for cleaning as dew that has settled on the panels overnight will likely have softened grime; meaning you'll need to use less water and less energy to clean your solar panels.If the panels are dry, before tackling the modules with water, brush off any loose materials first - this will make cleaning easier and faster. Don't use metal objects or harsh abrasive products for removing caked on materials - scratching the glass on a solar panel can affect its performance as scratches will cast shadows. Avoid using detergents if possible as these may streak the glass of the panel. Use of abrasive powders also risks scratching the panels.  

Given the nature of good quality solar panel glass, clean water and a little scrubbing with a coarse cloth covered sponge or soft brush should remove the most stubborn grime.  Plastic scourers may also be used.

If your mains-supplied water is hard (mineral-rich) and rainwater is available; use that as a final rinse; then squeegee dry. If hard water is all you have, just be sure to squeegee well as mineral-ladened water can form deposits on glass as it dries.

  

Dealing with oily stains

Oily stains can occur in some installation scenarios, such as if you live near an airport and are under a flight path or if you live adjacent to and downwind of a major roadway frequented by trucks. If oily stains start appearing on your panels; isopropyl alcohol can be used as a spot-cleaning substance.

Photo Credit: Brlan Kusler

The final word on solar panel cleaning

The old saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies - in most residential installation scenarios, solar panel cleaning just isn't worth the bother - or the potential danger if accessing your rooftop. Unless dirt is clearly visible or performance is noticeably impacted; simply let nature do the job for you

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

UK hits it's own record, but is smashed by Germany's

The UK hit a new record recently as sunny weather boosts solar power generation, providing estimated 7.8% of UK electricity in daylight hours of solstice! This is good news for the UK as year ago it was producing half that total, but thanks to the increase in domestic installations we are hitting it home with that 7.8% with 4.7 gigawatts.

Photo Credit: Steve Jurvetson

Why is solar taking off? 

The main reason for the big increase in domestic installations is the RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive) ran by the government letting you sell back the remainder of your free solar generated energy to the grid earning you up to £750 a year!

Solar power is all the rage right now with multiple projects getting into solar. Most recently are the solar roadways, although it had major flaws it still got $2million worth of funding, thats how excited people are about solar energy! Even this years world cup (2014) is powered by solar panels round the stadiums which produces more solar power than 11 of the 32 competing countries!

Video from Yingli's Youtube channel

It's not good enough

Sadly, the UK are far behind when it comes to solar power, especially when compared to Germany. They generated over 50% of their electricity demand from solar for the first time ever on 9 June (Maybe that's whats powering their team in the World Cup?) This is an outstanding achievement, giant leap forward for solar power indeed! A measly 7.8% seems an age away, but  Ray Noble, a consultant at the UK National Solar Centre says "We think that this is likely to double again within a year. There is nothing to stop it getting to 30-40% of UK electricity at this time of year," which is hopeful to say the least, but I too am hopeful as a part of the UK, England; may not of been able to beat Germany in the World Cup, but we sure can rival them with solar power if we stick at it!

Photo Credit: Elliott Brown

If you want to invest in some solar panels you can get FREE QUOTES from solar panel installers in your area here! Its quick, easy and simple. Who wouldn't want to make an extra £750 a year? And protect yourself from sky rocketing electricity bills

http://www.solarpanelquoter.co.uk/?s_eng=blog 

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

Paint on solar panels is a 'Breakthru' for technology

'Breakthru' by Queen 1989.
(Look at that smirky deacy in the background!) 

Researchers at the University of Toronto have made a final breakthrough that could lead to cheaper and more flexible solar cells. It  could be used by millions of people around the world due to the nature of the design. The team developed nano-particles called colloidal quantum. The colloidal quantum dots are able to absorb so much sunlight because the researchers developed a material that keeps the electron-rich n-type semiconductor from turning into the electron-poor p-type semiconductor when exposed to the air. The n-type material makes the solar cells more efficient, isn't that clever?

Photo Credit: Good to be Green

The new material achieves solar power conversion efficiency of up to eight percent and can be painted or printed on surfaces such as roofing shingles, especially handy for those underdeveloped countries who I'm guessing will be their target audience if funded for production. The breakthrough also ensures better sensors, infra-red lasers, infra-red light emitting diodes and satellites so winners all round.


I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

New type of battery answer to world's energy crisis!

The Vanadium redox battery could be the answer to the world's energy crisis. Vanadium's alloying properties have been known for hundreds of years. Most famously when Henry Ford used it in 1908 to make the body of his Model T stronger and lighter. For the same reasons - and also for its heat resistance - it was used to make portable artillery pieces and body armour in the First World War.

But vanadium's history seemingly goes back even further. Indeed, mankind may have been unwittingly exploiting the metal as far back as the 3rd Century BC!

So why are we just hearing about it now?

Vanadium is the 22nd most
 abundant element in Earth's crust

Well the main reason is their relatively poor energy-to-volume ratio, and the system complexity in comparison with standard storage batteries. BUT the Vanadium redox battery is an exciting technology because they can be discharged and recharged 20,000 times without much loss of performance compared to the Lithium ion battery, and they are thought to last decades!

What does that mean?

It means its PERFECT for renewable technologies that are producing too much power but with no place to store it! Countries like Hawaii, New Zealand and some states in the U.S are losing a vast amount of power due to no storage space. New Zealand aren't even allowed to use their solar panels at peak times because they are  producing too much energy and they are like "Well... what do we do with it?" Oh the irony! 

Vanadium redox batteries nevertheless provide the answer to a lot of problems we are now starting to face and will be in the future; as the incredible advancements in solar technology being made even during this year by MIT, various companies (Apple are even putting solar screens in the iPhone 6!) and sole inventors means we are pushing ourselves towards a more renewable energy dependent planet which is great, but where are we going to put it when we have this almost abundant amount of energy, Vanadium Redox Batteries of course!  

Photo Credit: BBC Laurence Knight

When are we going to see a change?

According to the BBC the problem Hawaii are facing right now could very well be a problem the whole world will be facing in the next 10 years or 2 world cups and a half from now (how I measure time.) Although some people argue that fossil fuel companies might take advantage of this kind of technology I think that it is needed to make renewable energies more efficient and reliable, we have to think about our future. 

Find more on Vanadium Redox Batteries and how they work on this Wikipedia page here

If this blog has made you consider having your own domestic renewable energy you can use our websites down below for FREE quotes from multiple companies around in your area for Solar panels, Biomass, Air / Ground Source Heat Pumps

• FREE Solar Panel quotes here: http://www.solarpanelquoter.co.uk/?s_eng=blog
• FREE Biomass quotes here: http://www.biomassquoter.co.uk/
• FREE Air /Ground Source Heat Pumps here: http://www.heatpumpquoter.co.uk/?s_eng=blog

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

Top 5 reasons how solar power can save the world

1. The research and development monies now going into solar energy are great enough to fuel innovation and bring down prices rapidly. First Solar expects solar generation manufacturing costs to fall from 63 cents a watt to 35 cents a watt from now through 2017!

2. Honda is experimenting with a zero-carbon home. It includes a direct DC recharger for an electric car so as to cut down on energy lost to heat during the DC to AC conversion. Charging would take only 2 hours, direct from sunlight.

The opening of Honda Smart Home US, showcasing technologies that enable zero net energy living and transportation

3. Thin-skin solar panels will be installed directly on the cars, and a canopy recharger will fill them back up, economical cars are the future (not the Prius)

4. Even poor countries of the global South like Pakistan are finding it affordable now to create enormous solar parks. Bahawalpur faces blackouts and a deficit of 4 gigawatts of electricity. It will soon get 1 gigawatt of electricity from solar and other renewables.

5. There are new technological advancements in Solar Power almost everyday and and a giant flow of ideas of how Solar can save the world which come as abundantly as the actual resource! Japan want to put a solar panel ring around the moon which can have the potential to power a 1/3, THIRD of the world's energy demands. MIT are researching  solar panels that can grow from bacteria making them more affordable. A group of scientists also want to build solar plants in our oceans as the solar energy is greater there. The amount of solar energy that hits our Earth in an hour is enough to power the world for a year. Surely we have to harness this great natural, renewable resource?!

6. Okay okay, I know I said 5 but TOP 6 doesn't have the same ring to it, sorry for lying my dear Sirs and Madams but this one is important! After seeing the way Russia is bullying Western Europe over opposition in Brussels to Russia grabbing Ukrainian territory, with Russia threatening to cut off natural gas, many countries will be encouraged to invest in renewable energy sources that cannot be cut off. Thailand is investing in 3 gigawatts of solar energy, not only because its government wants more electricity but because it wants more energy independence! The falling price of solar panels will give a further economic motive for going green, but tensions in the ASEAN countries over the possibility of gradually being reduced to Chinese puppets are real– something Obama is trying to address on his current trip to Japan and other countries of the far east. The alternative to solar, hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to produce natural gas, is not affordable in many countries; it uses enormous amounts of precious water, damages the environment, and produces huge methane emissions that threaten deadly climate disruption. Solar gives both cost savings and security, as well as a brighter climate future.

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

Solar Windows Power Your Home?

A house window that doubles as a solar panel could be on the horizon, thanks to recent quantum-dot work. Scientists have demonstrated that superior light-emitting properties of quantum dots can be applied in solar energy by helping more efficiently harvest sunlight. Clever clogs.

Quantum dot LSC devices under ultraviolet illumination.

A house window that doubles as a solar panel could be on the horizon, thanks to recent quantum-dot work by Los Alamos National Laboratory researchers in collaboration with scientists from University of Milano-Bicocca (UNIMIB), Italy. Their project demonstrates that superior light-emitting properties of quantum dots can be applied in solar energy by helping more efficiently harvest sunlight.

"The key accomplishment is the demonstration of large-area luminescent solar concentrators that use a new generation of specially engineered quantum dots," said lead researcher Victor Klimov of the Centre for Advanced Solar Photophysics (CASP) at Los Alamos.

Quantum dots are ultra-small bits of semiconductor matter that can be synthesized with nearly atomic precision via modern methods of colloidal chemistry. Their emission color can be tuned by simply varying their dimensions. Color tunability is combined with high emission efficiencies approaching 100 percent. These properties have recently become the basis of a new technology -- quantum dot displays -- employed, for example, in the newest generation of the Kindle Fire ™ e-reader.

Light-harvesting antennas

A luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) is a photon management device, representing a slab of transparent material that contains highly efficient emitters such as dye molecules or quantum dots. Sunlight absorbed in the slab is re-radiated at longer wavelengths and guided towards the slab edge equipped with a solar cell.

Klimov explained, "The LSC serves as a light-harvesting antenna which concentrates solar radiation collected from a large area onto a much smaller solar cell, and this increases its power output."

"LSCs are especially attractive because in addition to gains in efficiency, they can enable new interesting concepts such as photovoltaic windows that can transform house facades into large-area energy generation units," said Sergio Brovelli, who worked at Los Alamos until 2012 and is now a faculty member at UNIMIB.

Because of highly efficient, color-tunable emission and solution processability, quantum dots are attractive materials for use in inexpensive, large-area LSCs. One challenge, however, is an overlap between emission and absorption bands in the dots, which leads to significant light losses due to the dots re-absorbing some of the light they produce.

"Giant" but still tiny, engineered dots

To overcome this problem the Los Alamos and UNIMIB researchers have developed LSCs based on quantum dots with artificially induced large separation between emission and absorption bands (called a large Stokes shift).

These "Stokes-shift" engineered quantum dots represent cadmium selenide/cadmium sulfide (CdSe/CdS) structures in which light absorption is dominated by an ultra-thick outer shell of CdS, while emission occurs from the inner core of a narrower-gap CdSe. The separation of light-absorption and light-emission functions between the two different parts of the nanostructure results in a large spectral shift of emission with respect to absorption, which greatly reduces losses to re-absorption.

Concept of a Solar Window

To implement this concept, Los Alamos researchers created a series of thick-shell (so-called "giant") CdSe/CdS quantum dots, which were incorporated by their Italian partners into large slabs (sized in tens of centimeters) of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). While being large by quantum dot standards, the active particles are still tiny -- only about hundred angstroms across. For comparison, a human hair is about 500,000 angstroms wide.

"A key to the success of this project was the use of a modified industrial method of cell-casting, we developed at UNIMIB Materials Science Department" said Francesco Meinardi, professor of Physics at UNIMIB.

Spectroscopic measurements indicated virtually no losses to re-absorption on distances of tens of centimeters. Further, tests using simulated solar radiation demonstrated high photon harvesting efficiencies of approximately 10% per absorbed photon achievable in nearly transparent samples, perfectly suited for utilization as photovoltaic windows.

Despite their high transparency, the fabricated structures showed significant enhancement of solar flux with the concentration factor of more than four. These exciting results indicate that "Stokes-shift-engineered" quantum dots represent a promising materials platform. It may enable the creation of solution processable large-area LSCs with independently tunable emission and absorption spectra.

Sadly this all still just an idea and won't be in the mainstream market for a few more years. The idea though is  revolutionary. You could plug in your appliances into your WINDOW. Ideal for Kitchen windows, plug in your kettle and make a lovely cuppa powered by the sun, bliss. For more information on the Solar Window click here. Also there are many different companies trying to get their own spin on the Solar Window e.g. New Energy claim they are making a Solar Window that can out perform any commercial Solar Panel by 10 fold. Clearly in the foreseeable future not only will we see Solar Windows hitting the market but a whole range of them specially designed in their own unique ways!

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

Solar roof tiles (shingles)

To the majority the main reason why they won't install solar panels is that some can look well... ugly. Nobody wants to lose their curb appeal understandably BUT, you don't have to get panels. You can get solar roof tiles and they look just dandy!

What are they and how do they work? 

Solar shingles, also called photovoltaic shingles, are solar cells designed to look like conventional asphalt shingles. There are several varieties of solar shingles, including shingle-sized solid panels that take the place of a number of conventional shingles in a strip, semi-rigid designs containing several silicon solar cells that are sized more like conventional shingles, and newer systems using various thin film solar cell technologies that match conventional shingles both in size and flexibility. Solar shingles are manufactured by several companies by now.

Solar shingles are photovoltaic cells, capturing sunlight and transforming it into electricity. Most solar shingles are 12 by 86 inches (300 by 2,180 mm) and can be stapled directly to the roofing cloth. When applied they have a 5 by 86 inches (130 by 2,180 mm) strip of exposed surface. Different models of shingles have different mounting requirements. Some can be applied directly onto roofing felt intermixed with regular asphalt shingles while others may need special installation.

Aren't they just dandy?!  There are all sorts of shapes and sizes that admittedly do aesthetically dance on the eyes more so than the panels!

Downside?

So it is a no-brainer then; fit solar tiles instead of panels unless you want to make a statement to your neighbours with your solar panels. Well – as is often the case – it is not as simple as that. The main issue is cost or, more to the point, return on investment. Solar tiles are more expensive – often double the price – and less efficient – typically 10 – 20% less than than solar panels. And as solar PV systems are being presented as an excellent investment with the Feed in Tariffs this will have an impact on their popularity and applicability.

Solar tiles still may have a part to play in the sustainable design of our buildings however. For those that view the appearance of their roof as paramount or for whom cost is not a concern may still want to make the extra investment. Also with new build homes, it may be practical to install solar tiles instead of conventional roof tiles which will offset some of the cost and look great; particularly if they cover the entire roof pitch.

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

Top 5 reasons to install solar panels!

Solar power is more efficient, affordable, and easy to install and use than ever before. Here are the top 5 reasons why you should turn to solar energy.

Solar is Easy

Modern Solar systems make going solar virtually stress-free for the home-owner. Installation crews can usually install a residential system in less than a week, and most installation companies take care of the necessary permits as part of their service. Using solar energy is easy too. Once the system is installed, your home’s internal wiring and appliances all work the same as before.

Solar is Flexible

Solar systems work even in areas with less than perfect weather. While solar energy has always made sense in places like the south of England, modern panels generate power at reduced rates even on days with partial sunlight. If you live in a temperate climate with frequent days of partial sun like the North of Scotland, you can still get the benefits of a solar energy system by using a net meter to manage your power needs.

Net meters are utility meters that runs forward or backward depending on the situation. Net meters let you sell excess energy back to the utility company for credit when you produce more than you need, and buy back that power at night or during bad weather.

Solar is Independent

One of the best reasons to consider a solar system for your home is freedom. The idea of becoming energy independent has become a popular subject nationally over the past few years, and owners of solar systems begin their journey to energy independence by reducing their dependence on public utilities, especially with their sky-rocketing prices you don't want to be around for.

Solar is Environmentally Sound

Environmentally sound building practices are often more efficient than traditional methods, and solar energy is one of the best green investments you can make. Offering more than just panels and an inverter, some companies can install complete home energy management and solar energy systems that lower utility bills while reducing your carbon footprint.

Solar is Affordable

Government feed-in-tarrifs can help reduce the cost of your new system by selling back your excess energy back to the grid, earning up to £750 a year. Not to mention the new RHI that just launched (9th of April) means

Solar energy provides home owners with simple, secure, environmentally sound power, while tax credits and easy financing make energy independence a financially viable alternative to public utilities for more and more home-owners every day. Will you join them?

NEW RHI LAUNCHED:

Earn £3,690 per year for heating your own home

After months of speculating and lengthy delays, the domestic RHI has launched in the UK TODAY, WHOOPIE - rewarding home-owners choosing to heat their homes with renewable technology with high tariff payments. This is great news for eco-green buffs as they will be rolling in money, waving their cash around like they just don't care!

What is RHI?

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is the world’s first long-term financial support programme for renewable heat.

The RHI pays participants of the scheme that generate and use renewable energy to heat their buildings. By increasing the generation of heat from renewable energy sources (instead of fossil fuels), the RHI helps the UK reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet targets for reducing the effects of climate change.

Similar to the popular Feed-in-Tariff enjoyed by PV solar panels, the RHI will pay people for generating their own heat energy AND they get to heat their home efficiently - slashing their heating bills dramatically! I cannot convey the level of excitement I am currently in.

Speculations of an imminent launch rose considerably when the minister for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Greg Barker has announced via Twitter:
"Excellent progress on domestic RHI. All set now for launch by Easter."
This is excellent news for those that already have, or who are considering RHI approved renewable heating, as they will see annual earnings and savings (payable for 7 years) of:
- £3,690 for ground heat pumps
- £3,390 for biomass boilers
- £1,280 for air source heat pumps
- £600 for solar thermal systems

It's worth noting that currently, the hybrid solar panels (PV-T) that generate both electrivity AND hot water are not eligible for the RHI tariff.

Always check your system will be RHI eligible and use an MCS accredited installer.

Finally the government have got something right! The amazing thing about it is you will be independent, you won't have to rely on those energy providers with sky-rocketing prices and you will be paid for doing it!  Just think of what you could do with a couple of grand left over at the end of the year..

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

What you NEED to know before buying Solar Panels

Can I Get A Solar Panel System?

Before you decide to get a solar array there are a number of factors you have to consider as it can be a big deal. There are a number of things that have to be expertly evaluated before you can even consider putting panels on your roof.

First of all, some might have to come out and do a site survey. An engineer will climb up on your roof, take measurements, inspect to see if you have visibility to the south, and use this funky solar pathfinder device to determine the times of day that particular areas would be shaded.

Solar Path finder

They go to the four corners of where the solar array is going to be installed with the Solar Pathfinder, and with it point towards the south it has a series of marks on it and a glass dome which reflects anything that would be throwing a shadow. You basically look at the reflection and see what time of day the shadow might affect that spot. 

To get the most out of your panels you need to have them in a pin-point location to work efficiently as possible, you can't just bung them on any old place! Basically this means it must be facing south within about a 20 degree window. If they can’t point the panels in that direction, you might as well not do it because your solar generation drops dramatically. Same goes for shade. If you’ve got a building beside you, or trees that tower over the house, you’re done.

Even if your roof points south, and nothing’s blocking the sun you still need to have an engineering survey done to determine if your roof can bear the additional weight! Luckily, it only adds about 5-6 pounds per square foot of roof loading, so most roofs should be able to take it.

How Big of a Solar Panel System Do I Need?

To some extent figuring out what you need is narrowed down by how much room you have and cost. But you also need to take a look at your previous year’s electric bills, find out what your electric rates are, and research what the projected generation will be for the size of system you’re thinking about.

Here’s a site to let you calculateproduction for your location. Just pick your country and region  You’ll come up with an estimate that looks kind of like this:

Station Identification City: LondonòGatwick Country/Province: GBR   Latitude: 51.15° N Longitude:     0.18° W Elevation: 62 m Weather Data:     IWEC PV System Specifications DC Rating: 4.00 kW DC to AC Derate Factor: 0.770 AC Rating: 3.08 kW Array Type: Fixed Tilt   Array Tilt: 51.2° Array Azimuth: 180.0° Energy Specifications Energy Cost:     0.0752 pound/kWh Results Month   Solar Radiation (kWh/m2/day) AC Energy (kWh) Energy Value (pound) 1  1.45      128  9.63  2  1.90      151  11.36  3  2.55      227  17.07  4  3.99      347  26.09  5  4.60      406  30.53  6  4.38      368  27.67  7  4.63      397  29.85  8  4.52      390  29.33  9  3.56      302  22.71  10  2.64      232  17.45  11  1.61      137  10.30  12  0.97      79  5.94  Year  3.07      3163  237.86  Can I Get A Solar Panel System?

ITS A ROYAL PAIN IN THE ARSE

Solar Panel System Tips and Tricks

Oh boy, there is a lot they aren’t telling you! For example, one really good thing is that these systems are mostly guaranteed for 20 years! What isn’t really talked about is that its the solar panels that are warrantied for that long, but the inverters are not. So when you’re doing your ROI calculations you need to include the fact that you’re going to have to spend more money somewhere in the middle of the life-cycle for changing out parts.

Speaking inverters, I should explain that the reason you need an inverter is that the solar panels put out DC current. This is like the current that comes out of a battery. But houses use AC current. So the inverter takes care of the conversion. There are two different kinds of inverters that are currently in use.

Solar MicroInverters

Being dependent on one inverter can be inefficient, if they inverter goes down or has technical problems it means you won't be generating any electricity. An answer to the efficiency problem comes in the form of micro-inverters. Instead of stringing multiple panels together and putting them through one big inverter, micro-inverters are installed on every single solar panel. This allows each panel to contribute 100% of its production to the home, and if one fails it doesn’t affect the output of any others.

Choosing between Inverters and MicroInverters

Each type of inverter has its own benefits. While micro-inverters are more efficient, they are also more costly. It could also mean a lot more wiring that have to be mounted and routed. Yikes! Big inverters might weigh 140 pounds(ish), but they get mounted in one spot and with minimal wiring. They are also extremely reliable, having been around since the beginning of the industry.

Other Things To Keep In Mind

Another thing no one bothered to mention is that the roof on your house generally doesn’t last as long as these systems. So let’s say you have a 10 or 15 year old roof. There is NO WAY it’s going to last as long as the panels. What do you do then? If you have to do any work on the roof you have to deal with the solar array first. Although some companies do provide a service that in the event of your roof needs repairs they will take down the Solar Panels for you for a cheaper price than it would cost originally. If you are worried about this then I would advise to talk about this with a trusted company that will be willing to help you out e.g. the solar company that fitted the panels.

Who’s going to look after the system? And how? I advise to stay at home and participate during the install so you can learn how things are connected, and if something needed minor repairs you could do it yourself.If you have a pitched roof, you probably don’t want to be getting on it to service your panels. So make sure the company you choose has been around a long time so you don’t have to rely on service from someone else.

How Long Does It Take To Install A Solar Panel System?

The good news is that it only takes about a day to a couple of days days for them to be installed on your roof. The bad news is, that the answer isn’t that simple. After we did the site survey and worked out pricing and all that, we had to sign contracts. Those contracts had to get sent off for approval to the electric company because we were going to be tying into the grid. Meanwhile, you have to have the structural engineer come to the house to determine if the roof could bear the weight. All of those things can take weeks to complete. 

By the way, if you’re wondering if you can do all this yourself – the answer is no. Next question!

How much do Solar Panels cost?

Obviously Solar Panels range from country to country, region to region but, specifically in the UK (where I just so happen to be from) They are about £5,000-£10,000 but this all depends on the size, quality and quantity of Solar Panels you buy! A website that proved very useful to me was Solar Panel Quoter. They give you a lovely FREE quote from your region specifically and can give you a list of the top 3 companies in your area from their database, how convenient! 

Another thing before you are put off by the expensive price, you aren't JUST buying the panels themselves with that money. Its also for the install which is in itself a complicated process witnessing it for yourself you'll understand its worth every penny, just its a lot of pennies! 

Your pay back can easily be done over a simple spreadsheet, factoring in the months when the panels will be at either a low or high efficiency. It should be fairly straight forward but on average most solar panel systems make back their money in roughly in half their life times. Which means it is worth getting them, you just need the money to kick-start it! However, if you can afford to do it, it is also a form of insurance against the potential of sky-rocketing energy prices.

This should be about everything you need to consider before installing solar panels. If I have missed anything out or you have any queries, make sure to comment below!

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!