Solar Panel Installation
For most customers, residential and commercial, the roof is the best location for your solar panel installation. Your roof most likely has the required structural specifications to hold solar panels.
If the roof is not applicable or desired, various other mounting options are available – including shade awnings, ground-mount options (i.e. standard ground-mount, ground pole, or trackers).
Synergy Power’s solar power systems consist of an array of solar panels (or modules), a mounting system, and an inverter with a computerized solid-state controller. The solar panels generate DC electricity directly from sunlight.
The inverter converts the DC electricity into usable electricity in your home. The computerized controller also regulates the solar power system and ensures peak performance. A standard system is designed to stop working in the moment there is a power interruption. In applications that are not connected to the grid or require backup power, batteries are also required.
Photovoltaic, or PV, is a technology that converts light directly into electricity. PV is a developing field and utilizes several different technologies: Monocrystalline (single crystal), polycrystalline (multiple crystals), cadmium telluride, gallium arsenide, or amorphous silicon deposited as a thin film. The major advantage of monocrystalline cells is their higher efficiency and therefore smaller space requirements. The thin film can be cheaper to manufacture but is significantly less efficient, requiring more area which realists in more labor, mounting hardware, and bottom-line costs to you. PV solar panels are usually mounted on the roof or ground. On a rooftop, rows of panels, called arrays, are mounted to face south or southwest at or near a 30-degree angle for maximum efficiency. The PV solar panels are fastened onto aluminum racks which are then secured to the roof framing, providing sufficient support for the array. This same array layout can also be mounted on the ground if the property has large, usable ground space. Pole mounts are also a popular system, especially in more rural areas. The panels are generally mounted on the top of the pole but can also be mounted onto the side. Top-pole mounts require a steel pole about 12 feet in length and set in concrete. These systems may include an auto-tracking feature that will automatically adjust eat angel of the panels to follow the sun’s progress.
This allows you to remotely view your system’s performance through your computer or remotely on a wireless device.
The inverter is commonly installed near the main panel, either inside or outside. Since it’s made with solid-state electronics and performs better in cooler conditions, we recommend placing it out of view from the afternoon sun. The best location is typically near your main electrical panel.
If you decide you want a battery backup system or need a stand-alone energy solution, Synergy Power can design and install a system that is right for you. Some backup systems and stand-alone systems require a gas generator (propane, natural gas, diesel, etc..). Battery banks vary in size depending on power loads but generally ned 10 to 20 square feet and may require venting.