Siting Your Small Solar Electric System

Both the orientation and tilt of your solarenergy panels or "photovoltaic cell" (PV) modules will affect the output of your solarenergy electric system. You should consider both factors while evaluating your site's solar resource and sizing your system.

Orientation

"Photovoltaic Cell" PV modules should be oriented geographically to maximize the amount of daily and seasonal solarenergy that they receive. In general, the optimum orientation for a "Photovoltaic Cell" PV module in the northern hemisphere is true south. However, your modules can face up to 45º east or west of true south without significantly decreasing its performance.

If you plan to mount the modules on your roof, you'll also want to consider these factors:

Roof orientation and condition
Local landscape features that shade the collector daily or seasonally
Local weather conditions (foggy mornings or cloudy afternoons) that may affect the optimal orientation and subsequent electricity production of the "Photovoltaic Cell" PV modules.

To be eligible for some rebates, your system must be unshaded between certain hours during certain times of the year. Some areas also have laws that establish your right to protect your solar access through the creation of a solar easement.

If a rooftop can't be used, your solarenergy modules can also be placed on the ground, either on a fixed mount or a "tracking" mount that follows the sun to orient the "Photovoltaic Cell" PV modules.

Tilt

Most "Photovoltaic Cell" PV modules are mounted flat on the roof, and so have the same tilt as the roof. Although the optimal tilt angle for your modules is an angle equal to your latitude, fixing the "Photovoltaic Cell" PV modules flat on an angled roof is generally not a problem. However, because most roofs are pitched at an angle less than the latitude, you will need to factor your roof angle into the performance calculations when sizing your system.

Once you've done all the homework needed regarding the above, it's time to build. You can now build your own "Photovoltaic Cell" PV System with the the help one or both of the links below. Check the information on each of the sites and see which is best suited for your needs or possibly combine the two reference's material.

CLICK THE LINKS BELOW

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