Solar Panels Cost – What Are They?
If you are thinking about installing solar panels you will need to consider the costs. Cost however is simply one factor that you should be looking at. You may want the cheapest solution that you can get but this may not be the most effective or indeed the most affordable solution in the long run.
When a lot of people look at solar as a possible option they invariably assume the sole cost is going to be the panels themselves. They will make up the majority of the costs but they’re not the only cost.
Most panels are roof mounted. There are good reasons for this and the most important factor is positioning. Higher from the ground you’re less likely to suffer from over shadowing. Some kinds of panel do not perform well even if they are shadowed by just a small percentage. Putting them on the rooftop means they will have better sun damage.
Another good reason for them being on the roof is that a lot of people do not have the space to put them anywhere else. Whether you determine to roof mount or mount them on the flat surface on the ground you are going to need mounts. The panels will not just attach to the roof, they might require special roof mounts which need to be included in your costing.
So you have the panels and the mounts in order to be capable of affix them to the rooftop. You are also going to need a way to connect the panels to the mains system. Of course you could set up an off grid system but lets assume you’re plugging into the grid.
Solar panels produce electricity at 12 volts, your mains system runs at 230/240 volts. For connecting the two together you are going to need an inverter. This will step up the voltage making it useable with your electrical appliances.
Lastly the complete system is going to need to be installed. You may well be considering doing it yourself. Although you may be able to fit the rooftop panels you are not gonna be able to wire the complete system together. Unless of course you are an electrician.
If you want to be able to take advantage of the feed in tariff payments both the panels and the person installing the system are going to have to be MCS certified. This really is so you can get your certification for the system that will allow you to claim the tariffs.
Just thought you might be interested in reading this guide: solar panels cost and cost of solar panels.
