When it comes to large purchases, price is often the biggest consideration. Solar panels are no different.
Solar Helena MT offers a range of financing options for solar installation.
Choosing top-tier solar panels can increase your energy efficiency and power output, even on cloudy days. Check out brands for durability, excellent temperature resistance and strong warranties.
Solar panel prices have dropped dramatically over the past decade, allowing homeowners to reap the benefits of renewable energy with a relatively low upfront investment. Additionally, various financial incentives and rebates are available to help offset initial costs, making solar power a cost-effective solution for almost any homeowner.
The average sized residential solar panel system costs between $17,000 and $25,000, excluding installation. The up-front cost is quickly recouped through energy savings, utility rebates, federal tax credits and increased property value. Depending on local electricity rates, some homeowners are even able to achieve net-zero energy costs through solar energy systems and onsite battery storage.
A solar panel system consists of several key components, with the panel itself accounting for 60% to 80% of total costs. A typical solar panel consists of an aluminum frame, tempered glass, encapsulant, solar cells and a protective back sheet. The solar cells are comprised of photovoltaic (PV) material, which converts sunlight into electrical current to power household appliances and lights. Solar inverters are another critical component, converting DC power from the solar panels into usable AC power for your home. Inverters typically cost between $1,000 to $2,500, and a quality inverter can improve overall system performance.
Mounting hardware and wiring also add to the up-front costs of a solar system, and should be chosen with safety and longevity in mind. A high-quality mounting system can cost between $400 and $800 per kW of installed capacity.
In addition to the above factors, the tilt and orientation of a solar panel system impact its performance. Ideally, the system is oriented with the majority of its surface facing south. This ensures that the panel is capturing the most sun throughout the year. Panels oriented north or west will generate less energy. Additionally, changing the tilt of a fixed-tilt solar PV system can improve performance by moving peak production closer to noon, when electricity prices tend to be lowest on the grid.
While many solar PV systems require little maintenance, annual inspections are important for optimal performance and warranty coverage. Most homeowners can easily clean their own systems with a garden hose or soft brush, saving on professional cleaning fees. For more complex maintenance tasks, such as checking the wiring connections and mounting hardware, a qualified technician can charge $150-$300 for a visit.
Energy Efficiency
The energy efficiency of a solar panel indicates how well it converts sunlight into electricity. Current solar panels on the market have an average conversion efficiency of 22-24%. These figures are the result of continuous improvement and innovation in solar technology.
A solar panel uses silicon, a semiconductor material that absorbs photons and turns them into electricity. When photons hit the silicon, they release electrons in a process known as the photovoltaic effect. The electrons flow through the panel and out its drain wire to your home or business’s power grid.
Solar panel efficiency is impacted by temperature, solar intensity, wind speed, and other factors. Generally, higher temperatures decrease performance. In addition, dust and debris may build up on the solar panels, reducing their efficiency. This can be avoided by regularly cleaning your solar panels, especially in dry climates.
Orientation of the solar panels is also important. Panels that are flat to the ground don’t work as well as those that are tilted towards the sun. The optimal angle depends on your location and the season.
Monocrystalline solar cells, made of high-purity silicon, offer the highest efficiencies. They last the longest, too, with a lifespan of 25 years or more. These cells are more expensive than polycrystalline alternatives, but their greater longevity means that they pay for themselves over time.
The latest solar panels use a technology called thin film. They apply ultra-thin layers of semiconductor materials like cadmium telluride, amorphous silicon, or copper indium gallium selenide to glass and metal. This helps them blend into your roofline and are more adaptable for installation in unconventional spaces. They are also lighter and cheaper than crystalline solar panels.
The cost of solar energy continues to drop, making it one of the most cost-effective sources of power in the United States. In fact, a recent study found that solar energy breaks even across most of the country when including market revenues, health and environmental costs of fossil fuels, and capacity payments. This is in part because the energy generated by solar panels is free of climate change-causing carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides, as well as sulfates and particulates.
Solar Trackers
Solar trackers add an extra dimension to ground mounted solar energy systems. They use motors or hydraulic cylinders to move panels and rotate them in one or two directions, depending on the type. This allows them to follow the sun throughout the day, increasing energy production by 30% or more over fixed flat panel racking.
Whether or not solar trackers are right for your home depends on your geographic location and your energy-use patterns. For example, regions with more extreme seasonal temperature changes may benefit from dual-axis tracking. These systems can be more expensive than their single-axis counterparts, but they will increase your energy production year-round, including in the winter.
The angle at which a solar panel faces the sun is critical to its energy output. The more directly it faces the sun, the more electricity it will generate. Panels that face south generate the most, and those facing north produce less. Solar trackers are designed to maximize solar energy production by adjusting the angle of each panel throughout the day to follow the sun’s path and achieve maximum power.
Solar tracking is available in a range of sizes and styles, from simple manual trackers that can be operated with just a crank or pulley, to advanced computer-controlled units that adjust the position of the panels with an algorithm. The more sophisticated systems offer longer warranties and require minimal maintenance, but they also tend to be more costly.
Single-axis solar trackers use sensors to detect the direction of sunlight and send that information to a small attached computer, which then angles the panel mount left/right or up/down based on the sun’s movement and the software model. Electric gear motors then shift the solar panel arrays continuously to follow the sun’s path, turning them toward the east in the morning and toward the west at night.
Dual-axis solar trackers can also rotate on two axes, but they are typically smaller than single-axis systems and are best suited for larger commercial or utility scale projects. They use advanced sensors and software to follow the sun in a given region from sunrise to sunset, and can increase energy capture by up to 100% over fixed flat panel racking.
Battery Storage
If you’re a homeowner interested in becoming more energy-independent, solar battery storage is an excellent option. This technology allows you to store the energy produced by your solar panels, ensuring that your home is powered even when it’s dark or cloudy outside. This significantly reduces your reliance on the grid, saving you money on energy fees and lowering your carbon footprint.
When you choose the right solar batteries for your home, it’s important to consider cost and expected lifespan. Upfront costs vary, depending on your selected battery chemistry and capacity (measured in kilowatt-hours). Quality lithium-ion batteries like the LFP lithium-iron phosphate used in Anker solar generators tend to offer more value, as they provide superior efficiency and longevity over traditional lead-acid options.
Solar battery storage systems can be configured in a number of ways to match your energy needs, and you can often add additional modules to a system at any time. The best way to decide how much backup storage you need is by calculating your average daily energy usage, multiplying it by the desired duration of your backup power, and adding a safety margin. Then, use a home energy management system or solar microinverter to select the ideal battery size for your specific situation.
Behind-the-meter battery energy storage systems are also available for businesses and other entities looking to save money on electricity bills and reduce their environmental impact. These systems enable customers to manage their energy consumption in real-time, reducing or eliminating the need to pull power from the grid during peak demand periods. This flexibility, along with reduced operating and capital expenses, makes these systems an attractive option for many businesses.
As a result, many of our customers choose to pair their solar panels with battery backup to maximize their energy savings and reduce their dependence on the utility grid. This is particularly true in areas with weaker net metering policies and time-of-use rate structures, which can greatly diminish the financial benefits of solar energy. Contact us today to learn more about how solar energy with battery backup can help you achieve your sustainable energy goals!