With solar power coming back into popularity and more people wanting to go green, there’s no question that there is plenty of opportunity for growth. However, just because there is plenty of opportunity for growth doesn’t mean that all will be easy.
One of the major considerations that most people have when it comes to going solar is how much it costs to install. In this article, we will discuss the various costs that you may encounter when deciding to install solar panels and how much they will actually cost you.
Solar Panels & Modules
Before you get into the specifics of what solar panels and modules cost, it’s important to first discuss what they are. Solar panels are the basic building blocks that make up photovoltaic solar power. They are essentially just large sheets of glass that are held up by metal frames (look at the back of your phone for proof).
While solar panels can be quite affordable when buying them in bulk from a factory, installation can be quite costly. Most people that go solar will pay a professional installation company to come out and set up the panels on their roof. Be sure to book this appointment well in advance.
Range Extender
A crucial component of any solar installation is the range extender, also known as the inverter. This is an electronic device that takes the electricity generated by the solar panel and changes it into a different form that can be used by your home or business. This device is also quite key in making sure that your solar energy is actually useful.
Before you commit to buying one, let’s discuss what exactly it does. The range extender creates a high-voltage direct current from the low-voltage, alternating current produced by the solar panel. This high-voltage direct current can then be converted back to low-voltage, alternating current using a step-down transformer (this is also known as the charge controller).
This voltage difference allows power to be transferred from the solar panel to different appliances and electronics within your home or business. Without a range extender, all of the electricity that your solar panel produces would just flow to the ground through the roof wire (in other words, it would be wasted).
This is why most people that go solar will need at least two range extenders. One to distribute the power from the solar panel, and one to step down the voltage for the rest of the electronics within your home or business. Without a range extender, all of the electricity produced by the panel would just be wasted.
Battery Charger
When your solar panel produces more electricity than your home or business can use, it is critical to have a way to store that excess electricity. For homes, this is usually done with rechargeable batteries such as lithium-ion or lead-acid. For businesses, this can be done with battery systems such as those used by Powerwalls and some electric cars.
When the batteries are full, they can be disconnected from the system and placed into a storage unit where they will remain charged. When the batteries are empty, they have to be replaced or recharged once the solar panel outputs again (this is where most people run into trouble).
Electricity Line
Another thing that most people don’t think about when it comes to solar energy is the electricity line. This is the wire that will run from the solar panel to the nearest stop of wire that is connected to the electrical grid. Depending on where you live, this wire could be 20 feet or more in length.
When the solar panel is first connected to the electrical grid, the electricity will initially flow through this line. Once the flow of electricity is established, it will stay continuous even when the electricity is not being produced by the panel (for example, during cloudy or dark seasons).
Since this line is always connected to the electrical grid, there is no need to run additional wires from the solar panel to other appliances or electronics within your home or business.
These are the various costs that you may encounter when deciding to go solar. As you can see, they are quite substantial but, as we discussed previously, this is often unavoidable when dealing with this much new hardware. For the sake of security, most people that go solar will want two panels, one on each of the roofs. This way, even if someone gets into your home and manages to plug in your laptop or tablet, they still won’t be able to use it without triggering an alerting system that will call for help.