How do I choose a solar system for my home?

Assess your energy needs. Begin by looking at your energy bills to find your annual electricity usage. Besides small grid upkeep and transmission fees in most areas, PV installations can lead to solar savings that eliminate nearly all of your utility energy spending. Evaluate your home’s solar potential.

Can I install a ground-mounted solar system on my roof?

If you find that your roof is not fit for a PV system, you may be able to install a ground-mounted solar system if there's enough available space on your property. Finally, your solar installation must be approved by a representative from your AHJ and electric utility before it can be activated and interconnected to the local energy grid.

Are DIY solar projects worth it?

However, the rewards of solar are almost always worth it for homeowners in the United States. While it can be tempting to cut costs and install a photovoltaic (PV) system yourself, residential DIY solar projects are generally not recommended for several reasons.

Does a DC battery affect solar installation efficiency?

A photovoltaic system using a DC-coupled battery is more energy efficient than current AC-coupled batteries. This difference is more pronounced with a large-scale installation. So, it probably won’t affect your home solar installation efficiency. Which type of solar panel is best for your DIY solar project?

Can you build your own solar array?

Build-your-own from scratch solar array requires advanced technical knowledge and expertise that you may not have. DIY solar home kits are usually designed to work off-grid for small projects. Today, solar kits that allow you to directly tie into the public utility grid are becoming available, and may allow you to power your entire home.

How do you plan a DIY solar project?

The most important part of a DIY solar project is in the planning and design. For these steps you must do a lot of research. A critical number needed for all calculations is the number of watt hours of electricity consumed in a day by all of the appliances you’d like to be supplied by your solar array.