The article provides a comprehensive list of questions to ask when considering adding a solar system to your home. It covers various aspects, including how solar panels work, installation processes, system sizing, power output, grid connection, backup options, property suitability, and panel types.
Key questions include understanding the solar panel system's operation, determining the number of panels needed based on geographical factors, estimating power output, connecting to the grid, assessing the need for a solar backup, and evaluating the property's suitability for solar energy based on sunlight exposure, roof direction, material, and shape. Other important inquiries focus on electricity costs, panel types, durability, warranty, expandability, and overall cost-effectiveness. The article emphasizes the importance of seeking professional advice and thoroughly researching solar panel options to make an informed decision.
If you are thinking about adding a solar system to your home, then you will need to gather some important information.
Beyond all the benefits of going solar, the experience of owning a solar power system can be painless. Your life will be so much easier by asking the solar company the right questions when it comes to solar panel installation, and other factors.
We compiled a list of several questions that you can ask.
Questions to Ask About Solar Panels: What You Need to Know
How Does a Solar Panel System Work?
If you&#;re new to solar power, then this should be the first question to ask.
A solar system consists of connected solar panels that soak up the sun&#;s rays and transform them into electricity. In practice, when the sun rays come into contact with the solar panels&#; surface, the solar cells transform them into Direct Current (DC) electricity. DC electricity is not usable in the majority of homes, so an inverter converts this into Alternating Current (AC) electricity.
AC electricity is what the majority of homes and businesses use for power.
Can the Solar Panel Installation Be a DIY Process?
It is possible to do the installation by yourself, but you should seek a professional&#;s service.
An expert can identify where the panels can be installed on your roof without causing any harm to your roof. You can also ask them what their best solar panel setup is.
How Many Solar Panels Will I Need?
You need to know how many panels are required to power your home. This depends on your property&#;s geography since that will affect the number of hours of sunlight that your panels receive.
For example, if you live in an area that gets below-average sun, then you will need more panels.
What Is the Expected Power Output from the Solar Power System?
If you want to know how much energy you expect to receive from the solar panels, then you need to ask this question. This way, you can make comparisons between your home&#;s energy needs and make sure that you will get enough energy output from the solar panels.
You will only save money from solar panels if you are getting an adequate amount of energy to power your home. For example, a small house will only need 200-watt solar panels, whereas a bigger house will require higher wattage.
You can also ask the solar company how to measure the power output of the solar panels.
How Do I Connect the Panels to a Grid?
You get grid-connected and off-grid solar setups.
An off-grid solar setup will allow for energy independence since you can rely on the stored energy.
On the other hand, if you are connected to the grid, then you don&#;t need to invest in battery systems. You will also be able to sell the excess energy that you produced back into the system.
Do I Need a Solar Backup?
You need a solar backup if you live in an area that doesn&#;t get enough sunlight to power your home consistently throughout the year.
A solar battery backup will give you access to on-demand solar energy. You will have enough stored power, even when the sun isn&#;t shining. If you&#;re looking for that peace of mind, then make sure you ask this question.
Is My Property Right for Solar Energy?
It might be hard for you to determine by yourself whether solar energy will be right for your home, that is why you need to ask this question.
Here are the main things that you need to question when deciding whether to invest in solar panels for your home.
Solar power is not a viable option if your roof is under lots of shade. Although solar panels don&#;t need direct sunlight to generate an electric current, they do need to be in the line of the sun&#;s UV rays.
Dappled sunlight is fine, but an area that&#;s in shade for many hours will mean that your solar panels aren&#;t producing energy for large chunks of the day.
If your roof faces the south, then it will get a lot of sun. This is only applicable if you live in the northern hemisphere.
If this is the case, then you can purchase fewer panels and still produce enough energy for your property.
If it looks like your roof needs to be repaired or replaced soon, then it&#;s best to get it fixed before moving forward with solar panels. Your roof needs to have enough strength to hold the weight of the solar panels.
It will cost you extra to dismantle the solar system and reinstall it if your roof hasn&#;t been fixed beforehand.
We recommend that you hire a solar technician to evaluate your roof&#;s conditions. They will then determine whether your roof can support a solar panel system.
For a simple installation, a standard gable roof has the best shape. However, many other shapes can accommodate solar panels.
When it comes to roof materials, some are better than others when it comes to supporting a solar panel system.
First, metal is the easiest when it comes to installing solar panels since it doesn&#;t need to penetrate the roof.
Secondly, composition shingles are durable, so they make for a simple solar installation process.
Thirdly, roof surfaces made from concrete tile tend to be preferred. Clay tile tends to break and crack, so they tend not to accommodate solar panels very well.
Depending on your region, the higher the price of electricity, the more you can save by investing in solar energy.
What Type of Panels Should I Be Looking for?
If you want to know how to choose solar panels, then you need to know more about solar panel efficiency, power production, and size.
You should be certain that the solar panels you&#;re putting on your roof for the next few decades are durable and compare positively to other panels on the market.
Be sure to check out some of our solar panel reviews to make sure that the panels you&#;re getting are of good quality.
All solar panels have a kilowatt-hour (kWh) number that indicates how many kilowatts a panel produces per hour in the sun.
The kWh number is also one of the reasons why solar panels can be so expensive. The higher the number, the more expensive the solar panel.
How Long Will My Solar Panels Last?
When looking at the lasting power of solar panels, we will refer to solar power efficiency.
Solar power efficiency gives you an idea of how solar panels are rated.
Energy efficiency is the ratio of energy output from the solar cells to the input received from the sun rays. Solar panels will provide a certain percentage of efficiency.
This is usually between 11 and 15 percent. For example, a solar panel can convert 15% of solar energy into usable electricity.
Most solar companies claim that their panels produce efficient power for a minimum of 25 years. With that being said, your solar panels&#; efficiency will deteriorate over time.
Degradation is usually caused by pollen, dirt, and other external factors. Fortunately, this isn&#;t significant until after a couple of decades of high-efficiency production.
Can I Expand the Solar System If My Electricity Needs to Increase?
If your electrical demand increases in the future, then you should discuss this with a solar consultant. They will be able to tell you how much space you will need for future solar panels if you decide to expand.
In addition, the solar panel&#;s efficiency will be a massive factor in this consideration. The more inefficient the solar panel, the more solar panels are needed to reach a level of energy production.
Do Solar Panels Have Warranties?
Make sure to ask the solar company whether they offer warranties on their solar panels. Warranties differ depending on the manufacturer, but it usually covers energy production performance and equipment.
Although most solar energy systems can operate without any issues for the duration of their useful lives, you should familiarize yourself with repair or replacement procedures if something goes wrong.
Here are more specific questions to ask about warrants and repair or replacement procedures.
You need to ask the solar company who you can contact in the unlikely event that there is a problem with the solar system.
It is important to know how many warranties there are for the solar system&#;s components, and what they cover. For example, does the warrant cover the products, or does it cover additional things, such as shipping and labor for replacement.
Are Solar Panels Worth My Money?
Along with your current utility rates, you can ask the solar contractor for information to ensure that the solar power system is worth your investment.
There are several factors that influence the total cost of solar panels. This includes the setup&#;s size, your energy usage, and more.
The contractor can provide you with a forecast for how much energy the solar energy system will produce, the warranty, as well as a total cost estimate.
You can also work out the dollar per kilowatt-hour. You divide the total cost of maintenance and installation with the amount of electricity that will be produced over the panels&#; entire useful lifetime.
If you are worried about the price of panels, you can ask the solar company what their most affordable solar panels are.
Why should I Go Solar?
You might want to determine why you should go solar.
There are many reasons why solar panels are worth it.
Many homeowners go solar to save money on their electricity bills.
Other reasons to go solar include a reduction in your carbon footprint, and it promotes renewable energy.
To Conclude
Bringing solar solutions to your home is an amazing investment, for both your house and the environment. However, when it comes to the installation of solar panels, you might need to consider some factors.
You&#;ll likely have a handful of questions, but may not even know which ones you should ask.
That&#;s why we made this list of questions so that you are fully sure in the decision to invest in solar panels.
Struggling to understand how solar + storage systems actually work? Looking to build or buy your own solar power system one day but not sure what you need? Just looking to learn more about solar, batteries and electricity?
Join 15,000+ solar enthusiasts breaking free from their energy dependence with this short step-by-step video course that will make you a solar + storage expert. Start your journey to energy independence today.
Learn More Now
ShopSolar.com is the #1 digital platform that enables consumers & businesses to source and purchase complete solar + storage solutions direct, saving you thousands in time, energy and money! With over 40,000+ happy customers, we&#;re on a mission to make solar simple, transparent and affordable.
Did you find our blog helpful? Then consider checking:
When it comes to solar panels, one of the most asked questions is which solar cell type is better: Monocrystalline or Polycrystalline?
Well, if you are looking for a detailed answer, then you came to just the right place.
In this article, we will do a full in-depth comparison between Monocrystalline and Polycrystalline solar panels including:
But first, let&#;s see how Solar PV works
Solar Photovoltaics (PV) is the direct conversion to electric current at the junction of two substances exposed to solar energy. It occurs through a process known as the Photovoltaic Effect which cause photons to be absorbed and electron discharge. Solar energy is composed of photons which are small packets of electromagnetic energy. Materials that exhibit this photovoltaic effect are known as PV or Solar cells.
Solar cells are composed of semiconductor materials, such as silicon, used in the microelectronics industry. For solar cells, a thin semiconductor wafer is specially treated to form an electric field, positive on one side and negative on the other. When light energy strikes the solar cell, electrons are knocked loose from the atoms in the semiconductor material. If electrical conductors are attached to the positive and negative sides, forming an electrical circuit, the electrons can be captured in the form of an electric current &#; that is, electricity. This electricity can then be used to power a load, such as a light or a tool.
The first photovoltaic module was built by Bell Laboratories in .
So, without further ado, let&#;s jump right into how solar panels are made.
Goto GECONA SOLAR to know more.
In , the Polish scientist Jan Czochralski discovered a brilliant method for monocrystalline silicon production and called it the Czochralski Process, and later in , the first cell was constructed.
The manufacture of monocrystalline solar cells contains 8 main steps and, in this section, we will quickly go through each one of them.
The main ingredient that makes monocrystalline solar panels is silicon also known as Silica sand, Quartzite, or SiO2.
The first step in manufacturing monocrystalline cells is to extract pure silicon from quartzite to make metallurgical silicon.
To make metallurgical silicon, special ovens are used to melt SiO2 and Carbon at temperatures of over 2,552 degrees Fahrenheit leaving behind 98% to 99% pure silicon.
Although the high purity of metallurgical silicon, it&#;s not pure enough to be used in PV panels.
Therefore, further purification needs to be done.
The next step is to purify this metallurgical silicon using the Siemens process.
First, we expose the powder of metallurgical silicon Si in a reactor with HCl at elevated temperatures resulting in SiHCl3 gas.
The gas is then cooled and liquefied for distillation.
Distillation is the process of evaporating then condensing the liquid to get rid of unwanted impurities.
For instance, you can boil seawater (salted water), then condense the vapor to get pure water, as the salt will remain at the bottom of the pot.
Using the same concept, the liquified SiHCl3 is heated then cooled to remove impurities with higher and lower boiling points such as Calcium and Aluminum.
After distillation, the liquefied SiHCl3 is moved to a different insulated reactor with a hot rod, then mixed with Hydrogen gas and vaporized again at a temperature of up to degrees Fahrenheit.
Due to the heat and the presence of H2 gas, the Cl atoms will dissolve leaving around 99.% pure silicon behind.
What differs monocrystalline cells from polycrystalline cells is that monocrystalline panels are made of a single pure silicon ingot.
Making a single pure silicon ingot was really hard until Czochralski discovered this brilliant way.
First, you dip a seed crystal, which is a small rod of pure single crystal silicon into the molten silicon.
After dipping the rod, now it&#;s time to slowly pull and rotate the seed crystal upward at the same time to minimize the effect of convection in the melt.
As the seed crystal is pulled up, the liquid silicon will slowly solidify over 4 days creating a big homogeneous cylindrical single crystal silicon also known as silicon ingot.
The size of the silicon ingot depends on 3 factors: temperature gradient, cooling rate, and rotation speed.
So far you have a huge single crystal silicon ingot, but how can you make solar panels of it?
Well, the answer is very simple, wire saw.
The third step is to slice the silicon ingot into very thin slices using a very sharp wire saw creating 1 mm or 0. inches silicon wafers.
After cutting the wafers, it&#;s about time to polish and wash the wafers to clean it from dust, dirt, and scratches.
Because the wafer surface is very flat, many light rays are reflected away, and obviously, you don&#;t want that, as it will decrease the efficiency of the solar panel.
For this reason, manufacturers roughen and etch the wafers&#; surface, so the light can refract multiple times, which improves the panel&#;s efficiency and prevents light reflection as much as possible.
Silicon wafers are positively charged. In other words, they act as a p-type material.
To conduct electricity you need a p-n junction and in order to create a p-n junction, a negatively charged layer of phosphorus is added to each wafer, then wafers are moved to special degrees Fahrenheit ovens to inject the phosphorus with nitrogen.
The mixture of nitrogen and phosphorus creates a powerful n-type layer resulting in a very effective p-n junction wafer, which of course will increase the efficiency of the panel.
In order to decrease electricity loss, a highly-conductive silver alloy is pressed onto the wafer front, which ensures the power is perfectly transported and improves the monocrystalline cell conductivity even further.
Finally, the last step in building monocrystalline panels is assembling.
Each monocrystalline solar panel is made of 32 to 96 pure crystal wafers assembled in rows and columns.
The number of cells in each panel determines the total power output of the cell.
Polycrystalline also known as multi-crystalline or many-crystal solar panels are also made from pure silicon.
However, unlike monocrystalline, they are made from many different silicon fragments instead of a single pure ingot.
The difference between mono and poly solar cell production is that, after purifying the silicon, instead of pulling the ingot slowly to make a homogeneous cylindrical crystal (Czochralski Process), the molten silicon is left to cool and fragment.
These fragments are then melted in ovens and poured into cubic-shaped growth crucibles.
After the molten silicon solidifies, the ingots are cut into thin wafers, then polished, improved, diffused, and assembled just like monocrystalline panels.
Because the pure silicon ingot is round, slicing them will result in square wafers with rounded edges, which creates small gaps between the cells once assembled.
And due to the fact that they are made of pure silicon, they appear with a uniform dark look because of how light interacts with pure silicon.
Therefore, you can easily recognize the monocrystalline solar cells by their uniform dark appearance and the rounded edges squares with small spaces between each cell.
&#;Don&#;t worry, although the monocrystalline solar cell is dark, there are plenty of colors and designs for the back sheets and frames that will meet your preferences.
Unlike the uniform dark look the monocrystalline solar cells have, polycrystalline cells tend to have a blue hue because of how sunlight interacts with the multi-crystalline.
Moreover, because polycrystalline wafers aren&#;t cut from cylinders like the monocrystalline ones, they won&#;t have rounded edges.
Thus, you can easily recognize them by the bluish hue and the absence of rounded edges.
Polycrystalline cells also have plenty of colorful back sheets and frame designs that will definitely suit your roof.
The solar panel efficiency is an indicator of how good the cell is in converting sunlight into electricity.
For example, if we brought 2 different solar panels, one with an efficiency of 10% and the other with 20% and we shine the same amount of light for the same duration.
The latter will produce almost double the electricity generated by the first one.
Among different solar panel types, monocrystalline cells have the highest efficiency typically in the 15-20% range and it&#;s expected to get even higher.
Fun fact: In , the National Renewable Energy Laboratory managed to develop a six-junction solar cell with an efficiency of 47.1% setting 2 new world records.
Because each polycrystalline cell is made of too many crystals, there is less room for electrons to move resulting in a lower electricity generation efficiency.
Although monocrystalline have higher efficiency rates, the difference between mono and polycrystalline cells isn&#;t that big.
Most polycrystalline PV cells have efficiencies between 13% to 16%, which is still a very good ratio and it&#;s expected to get only higher in the future.
Another great factor that is greatly overlooked is the temperature coefficient.
The temperature coefficient is a measurement of how well the solar cell functions when the temperature rises.
In other words, it indicated the efficiency loss for every degree the temperature rises.
Most monocrystalline solar cells have a temperature coefficient of around -0.3% / C to -0.5% / C.
So when the temperature rises 1 degree Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the monocrystalline solar cell will temporarily lose 0.3% to 0.5% of its efficiency.
Polycrystalline PV cells have a higher temperature coefficient than the monocrystalline ones.
This means that polycrystalline panels will lose more of their efficiency when the temperature rises making them not optimal to be used in hot areas.
The lifespan of the solar cell is indicated by the degradation rate or the yearly energy production loss.
Most solar panels have a degradation rate of 0.3% to 1%.
Meaning that every year, the total power output of your system will decrease by 0.3% to 1%.
Most monocrystalline PV panels have a yearly efficiency loss of 0.3% to 0.8%.
Let&#;s assume we have a monocrystalline solar panel with a degradation rate of 0.5%.
In 10 years, the system will operate at 95% efficiency, in 20 years, the system will operate at 90% efficiency, and so on till it loses a significant amount of its energy production capability that it becomes inefficient.
Most monocrystalline solar panels come with 25 or 30 years warranties. However, you can expect your system to last for up to 40 years or more.
Polycrystalline PV cells have a slightly higher degradation rate than, which causes them to lose their efficiency a little faster than the monocrystalline ones.
Don&#;t get me wrong, they still have a lifespan of 20-35 years and sometimes even more.
The short answer is yes, monocrystalline solar cells can be recycled.
Monocrystalline solar panels are made of 3 main components:
2. Are Polycrystalline Solar Panels Recyclable?
Similar to monocrystalline, around 90% of all the material used to manufacture polycrystalline cells are recyclable.
And by the year , it&#;s expected that almost 45 million new modules will be made using recycled materials, which is equivalent to 380 million USD.
Monocrystalline solar panels have numerous advantages but one of their main disadvantages is the high initial cost.
Among all types of PV solar panels types, monocrystalline is definitely the most expensive one to produce.
This is due to the fact that the process of manufacturing monocrystalline solar cells is very energy-intensive and produces a big amount of silicon waste.
Compared to their efficiency, polycrystalline solar panels have less cost per watt making them cheaper than the monocrystalline type.
The reason for this is that the manufacturing process creates less waste and uses less energy resulting in less production costs.
Fun fact: Sometimes poly-Si panels are made from the left-over pieces of mono-Si production, which reduces the amount of silicon waste.
It&#;s important to mention that although poly-Si cells are cheaper, they occupy more space than monocrystalline to generate the same amount of energy making them less space-efficient.
We really hope you enjoyed this article as much as we did.
Did you find this guide helpful?
If so, please share this article with your friends and let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.