Thursday, March 28th, 2024

What do we need to install solar panels?

What do we need to install solar panels? Every year, the increase in interest in photovoltaics increases by several dozen percent. No wonder, such an installation is simply profitable, and at the same time contributes to the improvement of the environment.

To install photovoltaic panels, we need a few important things. Equipment, professionals or even the right roof. What will be useful for us when installing panels?

Own skills

Sometimes we can save a lot of money by doing some things ourselves. We will lose some time, but the effort will definitely pay off. Photovoltaics requires appropriate construction skills from us. Basic information about electricity and PV installations is also useful.

Otherwise, it’s better to get the right specialist who won’t damage expensive panels. However, we must remember that in the case of the installation of a specialist, VAT drops from 23% to only 8%. However, we will still achieve profits of at least 30%.

A suitable roof

Solar panels will be profitable only in the case of a large roof area. Importantly, it must be sufficiently illuminated. Flat roofs are common in Poland. In terms of electricity, such an installation may not pay off. 5 square kilometers of unshaded area translates into 1 kilowatt of energy.

It is worth making the appropriate calculations yourself. A separate barn or garage, which is not so visible from the street, may be useful in this case. On the other hand, many people like the look of the panels and do not mind covering the roof with them.

You have to remember about the presence of trees, which in a few years may obscure the panels. In the case of living in the city, you need to assess whether there will be a large skyscraper next to it, which will cover the inflow of solar radiation. Solar panels can also be obscured by chimneys, dormers and other protruding and inconspicuous things.

Of course, shadows depend on the season. The most important thing is that they do not cover the installation in the spring and autumn, because that is when we get the highest energy gain.

Appropriate equipment

There are more and more companies on the market that deal with installations. Due to the increased interest, they often offer cheap equipment, often imported from China. Of course, this does not mean that panels from the East are always bad. The so-called Bloomberg Tier 1 list indicates which photovoltaic installations are worth buying.

We can easily find it on the Internet. It is worth investing in equipment from the top of the list, the brands listed there are among the world’s top customers’ trust. However, we do not have to rely only on foreign equipment. Polish companies, including Bruk-Bet and Selfa, are gaining better and better opinions. Sometimes it’s better to support the Polish economy instead of importing less trusted equipment from abroad.

Depending on the type of roof, we need different accessories for installation. In the case of pitched roofs, for example, we will need additional holders so that the panels do not slide down. Special rails, placed parallel to each other, can also be convenient. Let’s not forget about such basic equipment as screws or washers.

Suitable contractors

It is true that our own skills may be enough, but sometimes we like to overestimate them a bit. In moments of uncertainty, it is better to invest in professional assembly – faster and more accurate than ours. However, not all contractors are a guarantee of success. A large part of the “specialists” simply sniffed the opportunity and provides services without experience. It’s better to look a little deeper and not take the first professional who is recommended to us by a friend.

It is worth scouring the Internet and reading customer reviews. With a large number of ratings and a high average, we cannot be sure that a given company has been dealing with assembly for a long time. A photovoltaic installation is very delicate and must be handled like glass. If we see that the company has been transporting panels in a vertical position from the beginning and they treat it like an egg – we probably made the right choice.

Additional funding

Thanks to photovoltaics, we are able to save a lot of money. Unfortunately, in the case of an inappropriate roof or location relative to the sun, we are not sure. Appropriate funding may be decisive in this case.

The government and smaller organizational units (e.g. voivodships) are increasingly focusing on ecological solutions and alternatives to fossil fuels. In addition, the European Union, on which we are financially dependent, is increasingly insisting on it.

The subsidy depends on the specific capacity of the installation. In the case of the range from 10kW to 30kW, the beneficiary may receive a refund in the form of 20% of the amount spent. However, he cannot receive more than PLN 15,000. If the range is from 30kW to 50kW, we will get a little less, because 13%.

Subsidies are provided by a lot of social programs: My Electricity 3.0 Program, Clean Air Program, Energy Plus (in the case of companies). The thermo-modernization relief may be useful if the costs do not exceed PLN 53,000. zlotys. There are also regional programs where we will obtain additional income from the municipality. Interestingly, local banks can help us, which in order to warm up their image – increasingly grant large loans.

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