July 15, 2022
Solar panel systems are becoming ever more popular as homeowners become increasingly interested in green energy sources. However, many kinds of solar panel systems are available, so choosing which one is suitable for you can be challenging. In this article, we will examine the different types of solar panels available and the pros and cons of each type. We will also offer some advice on choosing the right solar panel system for your property, residential or commercial. Around the world, more people are choosing residential solar power systems. Their objective is to save money on energy while lessening their carbon footprint. A historic number of residential solar panel systems were installed in Q3 2021, and growth is thought to continue soaring. This considerable growth is due to current advances in energy efficiency and the cost of installing a solar power system in Hollywood, FL. So What Exactly Is Solar Power? Solar power is the transformation of solar energy into power for your home. For example, solar photovoltaics convert sunlight into electricity, whereas concentrated solar power indirectly converts sunlight into power. Lenses, mirrors, and solar tracking systems are employed in concentrated solar power systems to focus a broad area of sunlight into a small beam. How Do You Define A Solar Panel? Solar panels alter sunlight into electrical power by absorbing it. Solar panels are typically made up of silicon-based solar cells connected to form solar modules. They commonly stand 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide, but larger homes can accommodate even larger panels. What Does PV Mean In The Context Of Solar Panels? Photovoltaic power systems use power from the Sun to create electricity and comprise at least a few solar panels, an inverter, and other electrical and computerized components. PV systems come in a large range of sizes, from small rooftop or portable systems to large commercial-grade power plants. Is Going Solar A Smart Investment? After completing all of these estimations, you'll most likely end up with a single number: the number of years it will take for a solar system to pay for itself in power bill savings. For example, if you live in a sunny section of the country, which all Hollywood & Fort Lauderdale homeowners do, and are currently paying increased power bills, you could be looking at a system that will pay for itself in five years. In comparison, other parts of the country may need to wait for 10+ years to reach that point. To generalize here, most homes will experience a benefit from taking their home solar. Thus, whether it is worthwhile to install such a system is typically determined by several much less technical variables than those described above: the length of time you plan on staying in your home, the subsidies available in your market, and your desire to help the environment and lowering your carbon footprint. What Is The Cost Of a PV Solar Panel Installation in Florida? Let's begin with the expenditure of setting up a PV system for your home—a residential solar power system installation runs between $3,500 and $16,000 in the first year. Why is there such a large price range? The dimensions of the system you want to construct and the kind of solar panel you want to utilize determine many differences. Whatever system you select, be mindful that solar power is a capital-intensive technology, with most of the expense of ownership ensuing when the equipment is bought. As a result, solar modules will undoubtedly be the priciest part of the project. There are also some ancillary fees. An inverter (to transform the direct current delivered by the panel into the alternating current used by everything in your home), metering equipment (to identify how much power is generated), related housing components, cables, and wiring gear must all be installed. Some individuals consider battery storage too. Batteries have always been deemed exorbitantly costly and purposeless if FPL pays for surplus energy supplied into the grid. The cost of hiring an installation company must also be considered. There are certain additional installation costs connected with operating and maintaining a PV solar array and the installation price. Apart from cleaning the panels regularly, inverters and batteries (if fitted) usually need to be replaced after a few years of use. Subsidies While the expenses mentioned above are reasonably straightforward, a solar installation company can provide a quote for a homeowner-determining government and/or local utility subsidies can be more complex. In addition, government incentives frequently change, although, in the past, the United States government has approved a tax credit of up to 30% of the system's cost. The Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) website has additional details on incentive methods in the United States, including programs in each state. In addition, such information is often public on the state or solar advocacy websites. People can also check with their local electrical company to see if they propose financial incentives for solar installation and their guidelines for grid connection and selling surplus electricity. Working Out Your Energy Production The second aspect you'll need to put into your calculations is the amount of energy your PV system will create and when it will do so. Again, this can be a complicated calculation for experienced solar engineers to perform. So first, let's look at the basics. The solar irradiation levels are available in the home's geographical location, which is fancy for saying how much Sun you get, which is one of the essential concerns. Of course, the closer you live to the equator, the better Sun your home will receive, but there are also other factors to take into consideration. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) develops sun irradiation maps for the U.S., and its website tools offer precise solar information for individual locations around the country. The direction of your property is also important; for rooftop arrays, a south-facing roof with zero trees or obstructions blocking sunlight maximizes the quantity of energy generated. Alternatively, the panels can be mounted on external supports and installed far away from home, but they will cost more money due to additional hardware and wiring mechanics. Then there are the dimensions of your PV solar system to think about. The hypothetical electrical output prospect of solar panels is measured in watts. For PV systems installed over a long period, the output discovered sometimes called the "capacity factor," ranges typically between 15% and 30% of the theoretical output. For example, a 3 kilowatt-hour (kWh) household system with a 15% capacity factor would deliver 3 kWh x 15% x 24 hours/day x 365 days/year = 3,942 kWh/year, or roughly one-third of a standard U.S. home's annual power usage. Costs of Solar Energy Calculation For Sunny South Florida You'll be able to perform a final calculation and review of whether solar electricity is a smart move for you at this stage. The discounted cash flow (DCF) method can theoretically estimate a solar system's general cost and benefit. Outflows would be installation fees (net of subsidies) at the project's onset, with inflows coming later in offset power bills (both directly and through net metering). Rather than employing DCF, the sensibility of solar power is typically evaluated by calculating the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and comparing it to the local utility's electricity expense. The LCOE for household solar will most likely compute as cost/kilowatt-hour ($/kWh or /kWh), the same configuration used by FPL. To calculate the LCOE, use the mathematical equation below: LCOE ($/kWh) = Lifetime Cost of Ownership ($) / Lifetime Energy Output ($) = Net Present Value (NPV) of Lifetime Cost of Ownership ($) / Lifetime Energy Output ($) (kWh) The functional life of a PV solar module is often assessed to be 25-40 years. The total ownership expenditure comprises maintenance costs, which must be discounted to calculate the net current value. The LCOE can then be compared to the cost of electricity from FPL (Florida Power & Lighting); bear in mind that the reasonable outlay is during or around peak PV solar production hours. Click below to call the Hollywood Solar Pros today to learn what it would cost to get a PV solar panel system installed in your home.