With all the hype and positive news about green tech at the moment, thousands of homeowners are going down the route of solar panel installation at home - and with good reason.
Solar panels are more efficient than ever, have a range of other technological conveniences that work in conjunction with them and, thereafter, significant financial incentives and savings on offer.
Not to mention the reduction in reliance on fossil-fuel derived electricity from the grid and associated reduction in CO2 emissions.
So, if you’ve already got solar and battery storage, well done! However, if you’re unsure about the process of switching to solar, don’t worry. Here’s our guide to solar panel installation which should help answer some of the questions you may have.
Let’s kick off with our first question:
How do you choose your solar panel installer?
Once you’re sold on solar and have decided to go green, you’re going to need to find someone to install the panels and associated infrastructure.
Whenever you manage a project, contractors and tradesmen should be selected based on their satisfaction of SKATE criteria:
Skills
Look for a tradesman who is skilled enough to carry out the task. This doesn’t mean qualified, or necessarily that they have years of experience. It means are they competent to carry out the task. You can find this out by looking at their portfolio, reviews, professional affiliations, etc.
Knowledge
This ties in with skills. Lots of people could bolt a solar panel to a roof… but do they have the knowledge of critical factors such as best installation orientation and angle, in order to get the most efficient performance from the array? You can often find this out by looking at their accreditation and qualifications (see below); any installer should be accredited by an MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) appointed certification body to guarantee quality and safety standards are met and be eligible for FiT generation and export tariffs.
Attitude
OK, this one is harder to determine without speaking directly to the installer, however, you can get a measure of attitude by looking at their reviews. You want to find an installer who is easy to get along with, takes pride in their work and takes quality and safety seriously.
Due to the high probability that the solar panel installation will be located on the roof of your property, it also makes sense to take note of their attitude toward safety. Look out for a CHAS accredited installer; you can even search online for the company name + “HSE” or “accident” to see if they have been in court or prosecuted for safety failings.
Training
For anyone attempting a job as specialised as a solar panel installation, they need to properly know what they’re doing. It’s a job for an electrician at the end of the day, and an inferior installation may end up being unsafe and hazardous, leaving you, your family, and your home at risk. Look for appropriate electricians’ qualifications.
Experience
Lastly, look for someone who has done this before many times before. An installer fresh out of college may not be who you want to trust to walk around your roof, carry out invasive work, and start working on your house wiring. Look for someone, or company, who has some years of installation experience under their belt.
What Is Involved in A Solar Panel Installation
As you may have guessed, there is more to a solar panel installation than simply the arrays themselves. The associated tech that needs to be installed alongside the panels includes a mounting system and an inverter, plus any peripheral infrastructure such as HMI interfaces or controllers.
The process of installation is usually:
- Scaffolding/access. This needs to be set up in the majority of installations where the solar arrays are mounted on the roof of the property.
- Set up the mounting system. This is where the hardware which connects the panels to your roof is fixed into place. It will need to be installed at an angle of 18 to 36 degrees in order to have maximum sunlight exposure and, therefore, efficiency.
- Solar Panel Installation. The arrays are fixed to the mounting system with nuts and bolts.
- Wire the arrays. At this point the cables, usually with MC4 connectors, are connected to the panels.
- Solar Inverter Installation. The Solar Inverter converts the power generated by the PV cells to AC. These inverters are usually installed near to the main panel and can be located indoors or outdoors; the best place for them, however, is somewhere cool so either out of the direct sun, or in a garage or utility room.
- Connect Solar Battery. If also installing a battery system (highly recommended if you wish to use your PV array on cloudy days) this will need to be connected to the inverter at this point.
- Connect to the consumer unit. The final part of the solar panel installation is connecting the whole system to the consumer unit in the property. At this point a generation meter is also installed in order to monitor the amount of electricity that is being produced. Many of these units are accessible by a pc or mobile device, allowing you to scrutinise and analyse generation and usage data.
After all of the installation is complete, it just leaves testing to be carried out to ensure it is all functioning properly. After that, you’re good to go!
Do You Need Planning Permission?
In the main, solar panel installations do not need planning permission, as long as certain limitations are not exceeded such as height of the panels above the roofline, or protrusion distance from the roof itself.
Other things to consider are:
- Panels must not be installed on a listed building, or one that is a scheduled ancient monument
- If located in a conservation area or world heritage site, the panels must not be visible from a highway (road)
- If installing your panels somewhere other than your roof, pay attention to the height and size of the array, and whether they will encroach on boundaries associated with conservation areas or heritage sites.
So…unless you happen to live in a castle or at Stonehenge, you should be ok to install your panels without permission – however, it’s always best to check with your local planning authority to confirm.
Helping Hands
If you’ve decided to take the plunge and install a solar array, we applaud you. It’s a great way to save the planet as well as your bank balance… and claim some independence from the utility companies and their escalating energy bills.
Making this choice is only the first of many on your solar journey, as you’ll now be aware! If you have any other questions or need help with your solar panel installation please get in touch. We’d love to help.
