Home improvement can be expensive. While the addition of certain appliances and features, like solar panels, can be justified by long-term savings, homeowners might understandably hesitate before making such investments. If you’re in the business of selling and installing solar panels, then you’ll want to be able to provide reassurances. And that means understanding which homes are suited to the technology, and which are not.
Once you have this understanding, you’ll be in a good position to reassure customers and to explain to them the costs and benefits of installation.
Solar energy
Photovoltaic solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. They’re distinct from solar heating panels, which can be used to heat water.
The larger a PV panel is, the more sunlight it can theoretically absorb, and the more electrical energy it can generate. Monocrystalline panels tend to be more efficient and durable than polycrystalline ones. You can typically expect a few hundred watts per square meter.
Installing a panel means understanding electricity. This is no job for an amateur! If you have the necessary expertise, and the right power products and materials, then you’ll be able to perform the installation.
Advantages of solar paneling
So, why might we decide to install this kind of technology?
First, solar power will drive down our use of non-renewable, polluting energy sources. While the creation of a solar panel isn’t entirely unproblematic, the technology still tends to be preferable to coal, oil, gas, and other carbon-intensive sources.
Second, solar panels will keep your home energy-independent. You’ll face lower monthly bills, and you’ll be less vulnerable to interruptions in the power supply.
Third, this is a technology that is becoming cheaper and more efficient with every passing year. At the same time, the cost of wholesale electricity is rising. The case for solar power, therefore, is becoming more difficult to resist.
Finally, we should consider that solar panels are very low-maintenance. You may have to clear snow off them, but provided the weather isn’t any more extreme, this should be the extent of the problems.
Disadvantages of solar paneling
There are also a few drawbacks worth mentioning. You’ll be limited in the amount of panels you can install by the available space on the roof. Solar panels are difficult to relocate once they are installed, too – which means that they often end up sold on to the next homeowner. Not all buyers like the look of them.
The upfront cost of the installation, moreover, can be very high. Homeowners might therefore look to government support, which has recently been made available to low-income households.
For the investment to be worthwhile in the Northern Hemisphere, a good south-facing rooftop will need to be available. While you can generate electricity via a north-facing rooftop, the benefits tend to be vastly reduced.
