Solar panel installation on residential homes can significantly impact the amount of electricity required from the grid each year. The reduction of the dependence on the electrical system can help offset the costs of powering your home and may lower your overall energy costs with a few solar panels correctly positioned on your roof. 

Solar Energy    

Installing one solar panel alone will not collect enough energy to power your home, but putting in an array of panels can. Often the number of solar panels you use, the direction they are facing, the power consumption in your home, and the amount of storage you install for electrical power can make a real difference. 

When installed correctly, each solar panel in the system contributes to the overall collection of energy. Working with a solar panel installation service to design and build a system for your home is an excellent starting point, and will help you achieve your energy collection goals.  

For many people, powering the entire home entirely from solar is not possible because of the size of the house or the daily power consumption of the home. However, if you can reduce energy costs by offsetting half of the energy you use with renewable solar power, you could reduce your electricity bill enough to cover the cost of adding solar to your home. 

Solar Panels 

Each solar panel on the market is created for a specific amount of energy collection, and the numbers can be challenging to understand. The panel rating is typically the best-case scenario, so if there is a day with little sun or the weather is overcast, the collection potential will often fall below the rating for the solar panel. 

Over-building your solar system can help offset this, but it is important to take low collection days into account when designing the system. If the roof is already full of solar panels, you may not have space to add more units, or the available space may not offer the correct orientation for optimal collection. 

A solar panel needs direct exposure to the sun to achieve peak collection. That means putting the panels up facing south to maximize the time in the sun. This orientation is based on the sun's path as it rises, travels across the sky throughout the day, and then sets in the northern hemisphere. Working with the solar contractor to make the most of the available sun using large capacity panels can make a difference in your home, so discuss the options with the solar company you are working with to create a system to find your needs. 

For more information, contact a solar panel company to find out more.