Is my roof suitable for SOLAR PV panels ?

Shading on the Roof

Is my roof suitable for solar PV panels? The answer is YES if your : –

• NORTH facing roof – receives no shadow at any time, all year round
• EAST facing roof – receives no shadow in the morning & early afternoon, all year round
• WEST facing roof – receives no shadow in the afternoon & late morning, all year round
• FLAT roof – receives no shadow at any time, all year round

If you’re unsure about the amount of shading that will occur on your roof – then we can assist by visiting your home to find out.

It’s very important to know if shade affects your roof – solar generation is affected

Solar supplier quotations

Most solar suppliers do not visit your home, because it costs them money and time upfront with no guarantee of a sale.

Instead of visiting your home – Solar suppliers now use aerial rooftop mapping tools to view your roof in their office and develop their quotations on this basis. Whilst these tools save on quoting time, suppliers are still not able to accurately determine :-

• the slope of your roof.
• where shade will occur in every position on the roof where panels are proposed, and
• the impact of adjoining trees, buildings, chimneys, tv antennas, sewer vents etc.

– for critical times of the year as the sun changes its angle across the sky.

For solar suppliers that do visit your home, they :-

• are unlikely to get onto your roof to see first hand if shade will affect certain parts of the roof.
• usually do not carry any solar shading measurement tools as they are expensive

Solar suppliers tend to avoid undertaking shading analysis because micro-inverters and optimisers are now available to combat solar panel shading. Whilst micro-inverters and optimisers are available they are more expensive to install and may be an unnecessary expense, if clever positioning of solar panels can be achieved to avoid shadowing.

There is a natural temptation for solar suppliers to recommend larger than necessary solar systems to maximise their sales & profit.

Whilst at your home our electrical engineer will determine the facts about your home solar exposure potential, shading & orientation, outlining all limitations if any to you.