Solar Panels Not On Roof

Ground Mounted Solar Panel Systems

The Problem With Teslas Solar Roof

You will most frequently find ground mounted solar panels on solar farms, and it is likely to be the first thing that you associate ground mounted solar panels with. After all, when we think of solar power for our homes, the first image that we get is panels that are mounted on rooftops. After all, it is seen as the best and most effective way of generating solar power for your home. However, ground mounted solar panels can be just as cost effective, easy to install, and efficient, as their roof mounted counterparts.

Are Solar Panels Worth It In Australia

With electricity prices continuing to skyrocket across Australia, households are rushing to install solar power to reduce their power bills, especially now that solar panel prices in Australia are at an all-time record low.

The price of good quality solar panels is now so affordable, that it is possible to get a return on your money from a residential solar system in 3-5 years. Lets break these numbers down to help you figure out how much you need to pay for a solar power system that will save you money, to help determine if solar power is right for your household.

Makes Your Home A Cool Space

The coolness that comes from solar panels is an amazing benefit! One study found they could lower the temperature in your house by 5 degrees. That means youll be able to save more while still enjoying those warm summer days outside with friends and family on their porches or lawns, not sweating buckets because its so hot under all those lights. Collectively cooling homes at night increases our electricity bills but saving just 15 minutes per day can save over 3 million annually .

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How Do They Work

The solar panels that are used on a flat roof are exactly the same as the ones used on a pitched roof. You can technically lay the panels down on a flat roof just as you would on a pitched roof but this will restrict them from absorbing as much sun as possible, and might also lead to water damage.

Thats why you need to install a framing system, to tilt your panels towards the sun. This will help them self-clean in the rain, and avoid damage from pooling water.

Theres Nowhere Else To Put Solar Panels

The roof is the most common place to put solar panels but its not the only place they can go.

You will find homeowners placing solar panels in other places, such as in their backyard or on a secondary structure on their property.

However, if both of the circumstances below apply to you, then youre out of luck.

Ground-mounting isnt possible for you: Ground-mounted solar refers to solar panels installed on the ground using special mounts to angle them towards the sun. While this may be an option for farms and ranches, it is rarely feasible in cities and suburbs where there is less open space to work with.

No other structure is available: The last option to consider are buildings like carports or sheds, or backyard structures like gazebos, pergolas and patio covers. If you dont have any of these, or they lack suitable surface areas, it means that you’ll have to hold off on solar panels for the time being.

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Giving You Room To Grow

If youre installing on your roof, chances are youve got limited space to make the most efficient array possible. Should your energy needs change in the future, it could be challenging to add more panels to your current system.

When you go ground-mount, youre under no such restriction assuming you have the space in your yard. You can expand your array after the initial installation, and many ground mount racking options allow you to bolt on new additions easily.

This means if you add on to your property and require more power, or if you find that your initial power supply just isnt cutting it, you can add more panels as needed with minimum fuss.

Impact On Electricity Network

With the increasing levels of rooftop photovoltaic systems, the energy flow becomes 2-way. When there is more local generation than consumption, electricity is exported to the grid. However, an electricity network traditionally is not designed to deal with the 2- way energy transfer. Therefore, some technical issues may occur. For example, in Queensland Australia, more than 30% of households used rooftop PV by the end of 2017. The duck curve appeared often for a lot of communities from 2015 onwards. An over-voltage issue may result as the electricity flows from PV households back to the network. There are solutions to manage the over voltage issue, such as regulating PV inverter power factor, new voltage and energy control equipment at the electricity distributor level, re-conducting the electricity wires, demand side management, etc. There are often limitations and costs related to these solutions.

When electric networks are down, such as during the October 2019 California power shutoff, solar panels are often insufficient to fully provide power to a house or other structure, because they are designed to supply power to the grid, not directly to homes.

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Do Solar Panels Have To Be Installed On A Roof

Because they do not depend on your roof, ground-mounted solar panels are placed at the perfect angle to optimize energy production. Most installers offer the option of a ground mounting system, and the cost of a standard ground mount solar system is comparable to installing a rooftop solar system.

What Kind Of Soil Do You Have

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If your property is on bedrock or if you know the soil is going to be really difficult to dig into, you might want to put the panels on your roof. Hard soil can make installation costs for ground-mount systems skyrocket. Its not impossible, but youll need to rent heavy-duty equipment to drill into the ground.

There are also a few workarounds with ground-mount options to keep the digging to a minimum. A ballasted system might be a good solution. Learn more about the different racking options available in our article covering frequently asked questions about ground-mount racking systems.

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Take Advantage Of Government Incentives

A recently passed federal law incentivizes homeowners to make clean energy enhancements, like installing rooftop solar. A substantial update to an existing energy-related tax break that was set to expire at the end of 2023, the Residential Clean Energy Credit allows taxpayers who have solar installed to recoup 30% of the cost in the form of a federal tax credit.

What that means: A solar setup that costs $15,000 would yield a $4,500 credit that you can take advantage of come tax time to reduce any federal taxes owed. The credit isn’t refundable though, meaning any money left over after your full tax bill is covered wont be paid out to you. But you may be able to apply the remainder of the credit toward taxes owed in subsequent tax years.

The credit applies to eligible equipment installed after Dec. 31, 2021, and remains in effect at the 30% rate through 2032. It decreases incrementally after that.

Depending on your state, you may receive extra incentives like cash back, property tax exemption, waived fees and expedited permits. In some states, homeowners with solar panels can sell excess power to their local utility companies. Look up credits available in your state by reviewing the database of state incentives for renewables and efficiency.

Manufacturing Process Is Not Eco

The photovoltaic process in itself doesnt harm the environment in any way. No greenhouse gas emission, no air pollution, no excess water consumption, or not even noise pollution. It is one of the rare perfect technologies that you may come across.

However, the manufacture of rooftop solar panels is not so good for the environment. It needs rare earth minerals, is energy consuming and water-intensive, and results in GHG emissions. Ultimately, the decommissioned panels add to the toxic waste, polluting both land and water.

Some of these cannot be avoided with the present technology but as new technologies emerge, we may have a better solution. However, responsible practices for the disposal of old panels and recycling can help in containing much environmental damage.

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How Much Do Solar Panel Ground

When it comes to the price per watt, ground-mounted solar panels and rooftop solar panels cost about the same.

Two factors that most significantly affect the solar panel ground-mounted installation cost are the size of the system and solar irradiation at your location. The more area it covers, the higher the initial investment. And as you might guess, the more sun exposure your system receives, the lower the cost per watt will be.

For a typical installation, ground-mounted solar panels have a payback of about 12 years. The average life span of solar panels is 25 years. So this is a good return!

A large part of the cost comes from setting up the system, including charges for utility interconnection.

Top 6 benefits of solar panels on your roof

When solar panels are not installed on the roof, they can be mounted in a ground-mounted array or on a pole. There are many benefits to installing solar panels outside the house, such as homes with tight spaces between buildings, pools, or landscaping.

Ground-mounted solar panels can be installed anywhere on your property that has good sunlight and open space. The panels come in a few sizes where they can be placed and the number of levels the racking motion is. The panels feed power to the PV inverter, either be situated behind the panels or in a remote location.

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Stagnating Or Declining Local Real Estate Values

While most homes have gone up in value by double digits during pandemic, there are likely to be some stagnating or declining real estate pockets developing within some of the local real estate markets such areas may not make a whole lot of financial sense to invest in because theyve either overshot the rest of the given local market or happen to have too many problems like high crime rates that may eventually force current residents to move out, leading to declining real estate values.

However, as the real estate markets are continually going up, those declining areas are currently few and very far between. But the market winds are subject to change, so always do your due diligence and consider the state of the local real estate market including the specific neighborhoods aka pockets within that market, especially if going solar is part of your property appreciation play.

Benefits Of Installing On A Flat Roof

Installing solar panels on a flat roof is easier than installing them on the slope of one. The work crew will be able to move around freely without any specialized equipment and can even weigh down their installation with an additional mount that holds it into place, eliminating all need for drilling holes through surfaces!

Flat roof installation can be cheaper because there is no need for additional mounting or reinforcement and the entire process can be completed in a shorter time frame. Solar panels on flat roofs could also have an increased life span as well.

Consider Investing In Solar Panels

You want to find a roofing material durable enough to protect the interior of your home. Solar panels are an excellent choice and can extend the life of your roof. They may be more costly but save you money in the long run. So, consider solar panels for your next roof replacement.

Bio:

Jane is the Editor-in-Chief of Environment.co and an environmental writer covering green technology, sustainability and environmental news.

How Long Does It Take To Recoup Your Investment

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How long it takes to earn back your initial investment depends on how much you spend on your solar panel project. If you snag a system for under $11,000, it will take about seven years to recoup the cost. If your initial investment is closer to $26,000, it will take 12 years to break even. Once your solar panels have saved enough in energy costs to pay for themselves, all other savings are a bonus.

Reasons Why I Dont Have Solar Panels On My Roofyet

Living near Boulder, Colorado, we enjoy more than 300 days of sunshine every year. Thats more than Miami or San Diego have. We have a south-facing two-story home with the roof positioned about optimally for panel arrays. Several of my neighbors have large arrays, and the colorful trucks and cars of solar install crews and salesmen are as plentiful as the neighborhood rabbits.

So, why dont my wife, Char, and I go with the flow and get a great deal on a rooftop solar installation?

Well, I agree that rooftop solar is generally a good thing for a whole lot of reasons, but because of the following, Im just not readyyet.

1. Not Yet Economicfor me

Solar installation costs have fallen to less than $4/Watt and a few states have reached grid parity meaning that power from those panels costs the same as that provided by the local utility grid. As far as I can tell, Colorado, where I live, isnt one of those states, even though we have plenty of sunshine. Thats because the economics depend so heavily on various tax and rate incentives, which vary from state to state. Its not just a matter of cheap panels.

Panels are expected to drop to less than $2/Watt by 2020, and by 2017, Colorado will probably reach true grid parity, again assuming incentives stay the same. Thats only two years away another reason to wait a bit before pulling the trigger.

2. Big Changes Coming

I think Ill wait and see whats coming down the pike.

3. Unrealistic Lifetime Expectations

Frequently Asked Questions About Ground Mounted Solar Panels

What does ground-mounted mean?

Ground-mounted solar panels are installed on the ground, rather than on a rooftop surface. Whether its a single large pole for multiple solar panels, or a framework that sits on the ground, the system will be considered ground-mounted.

Are ground-mounted solar panels cheaper?

Typically, no. Rooftop solar systems use an existing structure to be mounted, eliminating the need for creating mounts like pole structures or cement foundations that panels can then be installed on. But, it depends on the roof and if any renovations need to be made to accommodate solar panels. Ground-mounted solar panels are also at a higher risk for damage, so expenses may add up down the line.

How much do ground-mounted solar panels cost?

The cost of free standing solar panels can vary significantly. Private homeowners can expect to pay anywhere from $17,000 to over $34,000 . Companies or communities hoping to establish a solar farm can expect to pay anywhere from $800,000 to over $1.3 million: significantly more than the $20,474 average cost of a residential install.

Are ground-mounted solar panels safe?

Ground solar panels are safer to install. Maintaining them is safer and easier as well because your installer wont have to climb onto your roof. The electric magnetic field radiation emitted by solar panels is almost negligible, making solar arrays a safe and efficient way to power a home or building.

How far can ground-mounted solar panels be from your house?

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Decide Whether Solar Is The Right Choice For Your Home

If you live in an area with high energy rates and a suitable solar rating, and if you can afford the initial investment, its worth installing solar panels on your home while the 30% tax break is in place for the good of the environment and your wallet. But don’t expect to eliminate your power bill overnight.

If you decide to purchase solar panels, shop around and search for incentives. Consider financing with a solar loan if youd rather spread out the cost over time. Keep in mind that you dont have to buy solar panels you can lease them, too. Leasing offers a lower upfront cost, though since you dont own the panels, they wont raise the value of your home, and you may not be eligible for incentives.

Going solar isnt the only potential way to save money. Learn more about what you can do to lower your bills.

Will You Need To Expand Your System

If you dont plan on living off-grid, a rooftop system will probably be more than enough for your energy needs. However, if you are planning to go off-grid, the ground mount will allow you to add more panels as your energy needs change over time and you will get the benefit of a built-in tilt that can face towards the sun more easily than your roof.

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Three Tips For Solar Shoppers

1. Homeowners who get multiple quotes save 10% or more

As with any big ticket purchase, shopping for a solar panel installation takes a lot of research and consideration, including a thorough review of the companies in your area. A recent report by the U.S. Department of Energys National Renewable Energy Laboratory recommended that consumers compare as many solar options as possible to avoid paying inflated prices offered by the large installers in the solar industry.

To find the smaller contractors that typically offer lower prices, youll need to use an installer network like EnergySage. You can receive free quotes from vetted installers local to you when you register your property on our Solar Marketplace homeowners who get 3 or more quotes can expect to save $5,000 to $10,000 on their solar panel installation.

2. The biggest installers typically dont offer the best price

The bigger isnt always better mantra is one of the main reasons we strongly encourage homeowners to consider all of their solar options, not just the brands large enough to pay for the most advertising. A recent report by the U.S. government found that large installers are $2,000 to $5,000 more expensive than small solar companies. If you have offers from some of the big installers in solar, make sure you compare those bids with quotes from local installers to ensure you dont overpay for solar.