Assess your Site’s Solar Potential

The first step is to determining if a solar project will work on your site.  Here’s a little information to give you an idea if solar will work on your site.  Please remember, if you are unsure, feel free to give us a call.

1. Assess your Site’s Solar Potential

Orientation:  Find a location that has a clear southern exposure.  If you’re not sure which direction is south, the best way to locate due south is to look up your home on an aerial view of Google Maps or comparable software.  Panels would ideally face within 15% of south, although larger variation is acceptable, just not ideal.

Shading: Take note of Shading.  Shading can severely degrade the output of your system and may be difficult to overcome.  Impact of slight to moderate shading can be reduced with the proper design.  However, if more than 30% of your “solar window” is shaded, you may want to consider a different site.  A good rule of thumb is that the solar panels should be set away from a shade obstruction at least 2-3 times the height of the obstruction.  Some shading can be accounted for, however, there is a limit.

Not sure?  Let us perform a more formal assessment of your site for free.

Tilt: Ideal tilt for the Southeast is approximately 35% (about a 6-12 pitch), but this is less critical than other considerations.  For most flat roof applications, 10-20% pitch is selected for reasons such as more efficient roof area utilization, and lower wind load characteristics.  For tilted roofs, matching the existing roof pitch will make the most sense and give the best aesthetics.

Area: Estimate the size of your roof that can accommodate solar.  No need to climb on the roof.  Simple dimensions of your home or building are sufficient for starters.  On average, each kW of installed capacity will require 100 - 150 SF.