Is Solar Energy Right for me?

Why do you want to install solar Panels?
Many of us are being encouraged to invest in Solar PV systems for many different reasons, but before you start on your journey to reduce your energy consumption and cut your carbon emission, you need to think and identify your reasons.  The process will require a logical step by step approach because you will want to reap those benefits after the money is spent.  One of the first things to do is to ask yourself are you conserving on the energy you currently use. If not, you will usually get a better return on your investment if you do some of the simple things such as insulation and implementing energy efficiency measures. After all this is done then on-site renewable energy would be the next possible move.

So the decision for solar energy whether for hot water or electricity is yes? Because the investment is not cheap some more work will need to be done to identify if you have the ideal condition (south facing no shading and 25 degrees pitch) to make the leap. You need to know if your property is ideally placed to take advantage of the available sun light. It is best to know this before you get on to costing and system design. Even though there is the possibility of if paying back for itself over a 25yrs period.

Site Factors to take into consideration
There are four factors that allow you to get the best from the available sun’s energy and these are Cloud cover, tilt, orientation, shading, latitude and air mass.

If your house/home is already built then you will have to investigate the shading, tilt and orientation, because at the time of building the thought of using solar energy might not have been thought about.  For shading, tilt and orientation you might have to do some extra spending to maximise your access to sun light.  Cloud cover and latitude and air mass you will not be able to change, unless you move, which would change everything.  If you are building a new home then it is best to mention to your architect early in the conversation that you are thinking about solar power even if you are not planning to do it now.

At this stage of embarking on your solar energy journey it is advisable to speak to a professional; they are best placed to give the best advise, because they have the time, tool, access to data and the knowledge to do the research and advise you.