An Essential Eco-Friendly and Cost-Effective Option for Your Home or Office
If you are looking to buy solar setup components for your home or office space, doing it on your own without professional help can be overwhelming. That is because you have to select the right components to ensure that the system meets your energy needs efficiently and cost-effectively.
Energy Needs Assessment
You can begin by assessing how much electricity your home or office will consume on average. Then, you look at your energy bills in order to find the monthly or yearly usage in kilowatt-hours. This will help you in making estimates about the size of the solar setup you will need to generate enough power.
Solar Setup Requirements
- Solar panels
- Inverter choices
- Battery storage
- Charge controller
You should be aware of the type of panels you are going to use. This can be either a monocrystalline or polycrystalline panel, depending on your need. Monocrystalline panels are more efficient and compact, but they are typically more expensive. Polycrystalline panels, on the other hand, are less efficient but more cost-efficient.
Then, you have to select which one has higher efficiency ratings to get more power from the available sunlight. Part of your assessment is the durability of the full solar panel system with strong warranties and good reviews. This is important especially if you are living in areas with harsh weather conditions.
This equipment will convert the DC electricity generated by the solar panels into usable AC electricity for the home and office. There are three types of inverters, namely the string inverter, micro-inverters, and hybrid inverters. You can check which type can provide the best efficiency, warranty period, and compatibility with your solar panels.
You can pick a solar battery to store excess power for use during the night or when there are power outages in your area. There are two types that you can choose from, namely lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries. Lithium-ion is the more efficient and longer lasting choice, but it comes with a price. On the other hand, lead-acid batteries are cheaper but may have a shorter lifespan with lower efficiency.
This item will regulate the voltage from the solar panels so overcharging can be prevented. You can select based on the type of battery you are using and the voltage of your current system setup.
Solar Installation Reminders
It is important to have a monitoring system in place so that you can track your system’s performance in real-time. This will determine how much energy is generated, consumed, and stored. You also need to determine your budget for this type of setup. Don’t get affected by the initial costs because a good investment is measured by its long-term savings. There are also government rebates and tax incentives that you may receive if you install a solar setup at home or at the office. This may be available in some areas, which can reduce the upfront costs.
When you have decided to install, look for a certified installer with experience in solar installations. This will ensure you that everything is done correctly. Moreover, the warranty period is also important so that you can determine your return on investment. Choose a solar panel with a twenty to twenty-five years warranty. Inverters can also be good if it offers a ten to fifteen years warranty, while batteries are good if they can provide five to fifteen years.
