Solar power is the process of converting solar energy into electricity.
You can use either use a direct photovoltaics “PV” or indirect concentrated solar power to convert the energy from sunlight into electricity.
Solar electricity is one of the main solar energy applications and it has gained a lot of speed in recent years.
Currently, solar electric systems are becoming easily accessible.
And if you’re planning to power the home with solar electricity, several things must be kept in mind to set up a solar power system correctly.
Powering the home with solar electricity will need some planning.
Steps to Follow Before Planning a Home Solar Electric System
Simply follow the mentioned below steps before planning to power the home with solar energy:
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1. Analyze Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
Determining the home’s energy efficiency is the very first step to keep in mind before planning a home solar panel system.
It plays a key role in your plan and its main aim is to upgrade the energy efficiency of the house.
Simply take your time to figure out the total electricity usage of your home.
This helps you to figure out whether you want a solar electric system or not.
To check and analyze the energy efficiency of the home, follow the mentioned below key points:
- First, carry out a house energy detailed audit and this will help you to see how you can expand energy. It helps to decide whether you’re losing electricity unnecessarily or not.
- Also, take a look at all of your appliances. Maybe there is a need to eliminate the use of some appliances with the latest models.
2. Checking Solar Potential
The very next step in planning a house solar electric system is to analyze the home’s solar potential.
You need to assess the potential solar energy that can be easily produced at your home.
Also, PV technologies use direct and disperse sunlight energy to generate power.
The only thing you need to know is to figure out how much amount of electricity you can create in a particular site.
You can use multiple PV tools to check whether your home is suitable for a solar electric system or not.
To gauge your home’s solar potential, check the following points:
- House Roof: Every solar panel needs a sturdy roof. You must consider the age of your house roof that whether it needs to be replaced or not.
- Shade Trees: Let you guys know that the shade trees reduce the amount of solar energy that a solar panel receives from the sun.
So, it is quite important to take a quick look at where you’re planning to place the power system.
3. Options for Using Solar at Home
Currently, a number of different options are available that helps to enjoy solar energy in homes.
Buying and installing a solar power system at your home is no longer the specific option.
If you’re going to rent your home, there is no need to purchase a solar electric system.
Because there are many options are available that allow you to get benefit from solar energy.
Here are some options that are available for using solar energy at home.
- Buying Solar: Here, people purchase and install solar energy systems to increase the market value of their houses.
- Shared Solar: In this case, most people use virtual net metering to share solar energy.
- Solar Leases: Here, a person can’t buy a solar power system, he/she can easily lease a solar energy system.
- Solarize Programs: It also many people to get a discount on the system with the help of an organized group of house owners.
- Power Purchase Agreements: It involves an agreement where a person gets a solar electric system from a party that places the equipment at home.
4. Estimating the Solar Electricity Needs for Home
Must gather all information and data about the home and the complete use of electricity.
It will help the contractor to give suggestions for a perfect solar energy system type and size for a house.
The contractor will further tell that which type of solar panel is suitable for the house.
He also tells how many batteries will be used to store the generated energy during the day time.
Also, notice how much time usually a battery takes to get fully charged.
While installing a solar panel system, remember to use a battery charge time calculator to calculate the battery charging time.
Notice the battery charging time to install a suitable solar panel for a home.
There is a need to review the electricity bills to calculate the need for electricity to figure out which appliance is consuming more electricity.
5. Take Bids and Site Assessments from Different Solar Installers
While considering the solar-generated power systems, just make sure that your installer will be professional in installing the solar electric systems.
Because a professional installer will be able to come up with the complete solar energy system unit plan to generate maximum power for your normal needs.
While investing in solar power systems, make sure that you hire the best installer to avoid any kind of major issues.
Also, ensures that the company must know all about the local interconnections as well.
6. Available Financing and Other Incentives
When you’re ready to invest in installing a solar energy system, you will be automatically eligible to receive almost 30% tax credit thought the year 2019.
The estimated tax credit decreases to 26% in the year 2020 and will definitely increase in 2021 to 22%.
But if you’re going to get a solar lease or PPA “Power Purchase Agreement”, you’ll not eligible for this tax benefit.
Further, if we talk about the incentives, sure enough, to explore all available solar financing options.
7. Work with the Installer
If you’ve decided to install a solar electric system, the installer must be able to help you complete the necessary steps.
It is the responsibility of the installer to select the perfect size of the solar electric system for your home.
Also, the size of the system will be based on the electricity need including the following ones:
- The system’s orientation
- The efficiency of the system to convert solar energy into the electricity
- Different electricity resources like a wind turbine
Final Words
If you’re planning to install a home solar electric system, simply follow the steps that we’ve mentioned above.
Before start planning, first, determine the home’s energy efficiency and then examine the home’s solar potential.
Also, check for all available options which help you to enjoy solar energy in the home and also hire a professional company to install a solar energy system in the house.
