How to Conduct Due Diligence on Your Solar Project

Once you’ve decided to install a solar panel system at your home, the next thing to focus on is conducting the proper due diligence on your solar project so that your system meets all of your requirements.

Although there are solar panel providers that can focus on these details for you, it is important to do your own research to ensure that you are making the right purchase. In this post, we are going to break down the due diligence process for you so that you can approach your solar project from the ground up.

Roof and Mounting

The first thing you want to do is identify what type of roof your home has.

There are several roof types found on residential homes throughout the country, but luckily almost all of them are compatible with solar panel systems. The type of roof you have influenced how your solar panels are mounted to the surface.

Solar panel mounting itself is a whole topic to explore, which is why it is crucial to equip your solar panel system with the proper mounting system.

Available Roof Space

Next, you should figure out how much square footage of space there is open for your solar panel system.

Consider factors like the direction of the panels and their angle when identifying compatible roof space. In most cases, solar panels should be placed facing south, but depending on the environmental factors, it may be necessary to adjust the direction.

The panels should also be angled at around 30 degrees. Ultimately, you want to be exposing the panels to as much sunlight as possible.

Energy Production

Most solar panel owners decide to cover all of their energy needs with their solar panel system. What this means is that the amount of energy their panels will generate over the year will cover the total number of kWh that they are consuming.

To do this, however, you either need a grid-connected solar panel system or a home battery. This is because your solar panels are not going to produce the same amount of energy each part of the year or each part of the day.

A grid-connected solar panel system uses net energy metering (NEM) to allow a solar panel owner to earn credits for the excess energy they produce. These credits can be used to purchase energy back from the grid when your panels are producing less.

On the other hand, a home battery stores the electricity up to its capacity and can be drawn from at any point. When doing your due diligence on your future solar project, energy production is something to look into.

Choosing Your Module

Now that you know what type of mounting system you should use, how much available space you have, and what your energy production goals are, you can figure out what specific solar panel modules you need to use to meet those parameters.

Solar panels come in various sizes and have different efficiency levels, so this step might take a little bit of time. Normally, you can rely on an experienced Energy Advisor, like the ones we have at Solar.com, to help you with these details.

How Green?

One other aspect to your due diligence process may include digging into how “Green” your specific solar panel options are. Things like the material in the hardware, or even the distance traveled to get the panels to your home may influence how green your solar panels are.

Warranty

Lastly, you want to ensure the solar panel system you are purchasing is covered by a warranty. This will mitigate your risk significantly. Most solar panel providers offer warranties of around 20-25 years, so when you are conducting your due diligence, make sure to look for this feature.

Step-By-Step Process

The easiest way to view the due diligence process for your solar panel project is by breaking it down into simple steps.

Overall, your goal is to ensure that the system is recommended to your or the one that you find yourself is the right fit for your specific situation. By looking at the areas covered in this post, you will be enabling yourself to make the smartest solar purchase possible!