How to choose the right solar power system for your property
Why you should use Solaray for all your solar power needs
November 4, 2020The importance of solar energy in South Africa
November 13, 2020Oftentimes, when people decide to go solar, they are unaware of the different solar power systems available to them. Choosing a system for your property is not as simple as you may believe, there are a lot of factors that should be considered before making your final decision. Read all about how to choose the right solar system for your property below:
Site assessment
The first thing that you’ll need to consider when choosing a solar power system for your property is feasibility of your site. The site assessment includes checking the carrying capacity of your roof, identifying the slope required and the direction of the sun due to your location as well as the suitability of the environment. Luckily for you, certain solar power system installers, such as the team at Solaray, has the means and abilities to perform a site assessment.
Energy consumption
The next necessity when looking for the ideal system for your property is to determine your energy consumption. This step is necessary in order to establish what size your solar power system should be and could also be used to help your property become more energy efficient. In order to calculate your consumption, you need to list each of the appliances used around your property along with the watts used by each and the hours that each appliance is used. Once you have done this, multiply the watts used by the hours of operation for each appliance. You can now determine your total number of watts used daily by adding each of these figures together.
Off-grid vs grid-tied
The final consideration is whether to select an off-grid or grid-tied system. As the name suggests, off-grid systems operate independently from the grid while grid-tied systems work hand-in-hand with the grid. For many people, grid-tied systems are the way as they provide solar power while offering an opportunity to earn money through unused electricity. However, off-grid systems may be suitable for certain properties as the provide a great source of power for simple applications such as water pumps and solar thermal water systems.