You may call it green energy, renewable energy or clean energy, but no matter what you call it, more and more people are interested in these natural sources to power their houses, businesses and facilities. As the most popular energy source, solar power stands out in this transition to more efficient energy sources.
If you are already familiar with solar energy and are interested in having a system of your own installed by us, then you need to read all of the things you need to take into consideration before beginning.
Solar Panels: How many do you need?
Solar panels are the main device in a solar generator system and are the first thing most people think about when you mention solar energy. Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity and are arranged in groups. Examples tend to show miles of solar panels, which beg the question: “How many do I need?” The answer, however, is not as simple as it seems.
One of the aspects of a successful solar project is custom design and proper sizing, which we offer to all of our clients. We determine the number of solar panels based on the technical requirements of all our projects. Some of the things you need to know to help us determine how many solar panels you need are:
- Electrical panel size (amperage)
- The amount of space on the roof or desired area of installation.
- 12 months of your hydro bills.
All of this information allows us to properly size your solar system. If you’re interested in learning how many solar panels you need for your solar project, contact our experts.
Necessary Permits for a Solar Project
Installing any solar generator system requires various permits that landowners and facilities need to have even before they consider beginning a solar project. Nonetheless, a lot of service providers offer options to make this part of the project as easy as possible.
In most cases, an Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) permit and a building permit are required, but more permits may be required depending on complexity and location. At Anvil Crawler, we offer a turnkey service for all of our solar projects, so we handle all the permits to ensure a successful installation.
Performance and Monitoring
Snow is known as one of the biggest causes of performance issues in solar panels because it can cover the panels to a point where they can’t collect sunlight. As this issue is expected, it is factored into the solar system production models. A lot of clients ask us as well about hail, and while light hail is fairly harmless, heavy hail can damage panels. This is why we recommend all solar generator system owners have insurance that covers replacements in case of weather damage.
A way to also mitigate these issues is to monitor the panels and their performance. We advise our clients to not only monitor the panels themselves but also monitor the roof or the site of installation where they have the panels. For example, if the roof is at the end of its life, the system needs to be removed altogether before a new roof can be installed. In case there are issues with some panels, the system is modular so you can replace one module at a time if it is damaged without having to replace the whole system.
To help our customers monitor their systems the best way possible and know when there are performance issues as soon as they come up, we offer a basic solar monitoring package. This package includes hardware that connects to the onsite internet and tracks the performance of the system.
This monitoring package is a one-time payment during or after the installation, but for those clients who require more precise monitoring, we have commercial-grade monitoring packages for a monthly fee that provide in-depth details of the solar generator system’s performance.
Equipment Recommendations
There are three different tiers for solar panels: 1, 2 and 3. While this may give the hint that it has to do with the quality of the panel, the reason the panels are tiered is due to the manufacturers and not the quality of the panels. In short, the tiers are financial classifications given to the manufacturers.
We recommend Tier 1 panels to our clients as the manufacturers tend to offer stronger warranties for their panels and inverters in comparison to lower-tier manufacturers.
When it comes to our chosen manufacturers, we work and recommend Canadian Solar, Longi, Hanwha, Fronius, SMA and SunGrow. For monitoring systems, we always go with Cachelan.
Other Benefits We Offer in Solar Projects
At Anvil Crawler, we offer our customers several benefits such as:
- A one-year workmanship warranty for free. This warranty can be extended to 2 years as an upcharge.
- Complimentary visits to the area of installation to measure the space to ensure we can provide a detailed quote for the project.
- Investigation into available tax incentives and grants that can apply to your project.
- Consultation and coordination with the local utility who will need to approve the project
Solar projects require careful planning, expert guidance, and a commitment to quality and sustainability. By partnering with experts like Anvil Crawler, you can confidently know your project from start to finish will be in the best hands and the results will contribute to a greener future.
If you have decided you are ready to start your solar project, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our experts to get exact information based on your goals and needs.
