Are you planning to make use of solar energy to ‘green’ your life and lighten your carbon footprint? It is undoubtedly a good decision that will prove beneficial to you even in monetary terms. However, the initial investment on the purchase and installation of residential photovoltaic systems can be huge. Therefore, an item as expensive as a solar energy system must be selected with great care. There are a few factors that must go into your decision to purchase solar power systems for homes.

Selecting Residential Photovoltaic Systems: 4 Important Considerations
There are four basic factors that must be considered before installing a photovoltaic solar energy system. These factors are inter-related in some ways:

Price: The cost of the solar energy system is determined by the
• size of the panels – in terms of wattage and physical size
• durability (or warranty period)
• brand
• any particular certifications
Selecting a solar power product on the basis of price alone is not a wise decision. Less cost might mean not having the requisite certifications and not meeting all your energy needs.

Size and wattage: The size of the residential solar electricity system will determine its maximum wattage since panels are priced in dollars per watt. The wattage is also determined by the type of solar cells that have been used to make the panels. For example, a 50W panel will be approximately 2sq.ft, while a 190W panel will be about 8sq.ft.

The main issue to consider in terms of size is whether your system has sufficient wattage to power your appliances and whether the system will fit into the place you wish to install.

Durability and efficiency: This again depends on materials. Solar panel frames, too, make a difference. Nowadays, most PV panels have frames made of aluminum which is both sturdy and light. The efficiency of your residential solar power system will depend on the installation and maintenance. For a 100W solar panel to produce 100W electricity, you have to make sure that the panels receive direct sunlight for the longest part of the day without any hindrance of dust or dirt.

Types: Residential solar PV systems can essentially be of three types, based on the cells used to make each:
• Mono-crystalline silicon
• Poly-crystalline silicon
• Thin film technology
Each has different durability and capacity, and each comes with different warranty. Therefore, talk to the dealer before coming to a decision.

Cheers

Dennis Yew