Residential solar
How Solar Works, Understanding The Differences
When the sun shines, wires carry electricity from the panels to a piece of equipment known as an “inverter.” The inverter transforms the DC electricity that the panels produce into the AC power that your home requires. After the inverter converts the electricity, it then travels through a dedicated wire into your home’s electrical panel. From that point on, all of the extra electricity your solar panels produce flows back through the power lines and into the utility company’s power grid.
1. Solar Panels
Solar panels are the most obvious part of the system. Every day, they sit on your roof and collect the limitless energy the sun provides.
2. Inverter
The inverter transforms the solar panels’ collected energy into usable electricity, which powers your home. Inverters can be a separate piece (as shown here), or they can be micro-inverters, which are part of each individual solar panel.
3. Meter
The meter is what measures your electricity usage. When using solar energy, your meter will frequently run “backwards” as you sell your excess electricity back to the local utility company.
4. Utility Grid
The power lines and the whole huge system that supplies electricity to your entire region. Your home is still connected to the grid for times when it needs electricity that you are not currently producing (mostly at night).
There are 3 main factors that determine whether your home is a good candidate for solar energy in the Midwest:
- Does it get a sufficient amount of direct sunlight (not overly obstructed by shade)?
- What is the orientation of the roof (technically “Azimuth,” which means North, South, East, and West)?
- Roof condition, shape, and size.
Direct Sunlight
The solar panels need sunlight to work. If the roof of your house gets a lot of direct sunlight during the day, then you may be an ideal candidate for solar. Having a shaded or obstructed roof, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t go solar, as there are several ways to overcome the challenges of shade.
- Power Optimizers or Micro-Inverters can improve a system’s performance. This technology allows each panel to work independently, ensuring that each panel produces as much electricity as it can when it receives sunlight. A shaded panel reduces its output without affecting the rest of the system. This is particularly effective to overcome the impact of tall trees in a nearby neighbor’s yard.
Orientation Of Your Roof
Solar panels in the Midwest should face the true south for maximum efficiency. This orientation is most effective in capturing direct sunlight throughout the day, which is essential given the Midwest’s varying climate. While roofs oriented to the east or west receive less direct sunlight compared to those facing south, they can still produce a considerable amount of electricity. In the Midwest, a residence with east- or west-facing solar panels can achieve around 80% of the efficiency of a home with south-facing panels. Consequently, even if the alignment isn’t ideal, installing a few extra panels can make up for the reduced efficiency, ensuring adequate energy production and significant savings on energy costs.
Roof Condition, Shape, and Size
Once installed, a solar system can function efficiently for over 25 years, so it’s important to ensure your roof is in excellent condition before installation. If your roof is in poor shape or aging, it may be necessary to replace it before adding solar panels. In such cases, you may be in luck! Including the roof replacement as part of the solar project can help offset the cost, making it feel like getting a new roof with solar.
Roof shapes vary considerably with different house styles. The ideal roof shape for solar in the Midwest is a simple rectangle-shaped “gable” roof, allowing for the installation of as many panels as needed without concerns about space. Solar can also work well with other roof shapes, even those with many dormers or valleys. It just requires a bit more effort to configure and fit the proper number of panels to meet the home’s energy needs.
At Wolf River Electric, we pride ourselves on making the most of every opportunity for our customers. So, if another solar company has told you that your house isn’t “good” for solar, let us take a look. We often succeed in situations where other companies couldn’t.
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