Residential Solar System
Answers to Questions

The awareness to what a Residential Solar System can do is spreading and so is the number of people installing them. Below, I will address frequently asked questions on solar systems relevant to a family home.

• What are the ways to harness sun radiation for residential use?
• Sun radiation can be converted to heat water or air. The second alternative is to convert sun radiation directly to solar photovoltaic electrical power
• Can solar systems work during night time
• No, solar systems derive their energy from the sun.
• What can be done to extend the usability of solar systems overnight?
• Solar thermal systems use solar storage tanks to store enough hot water that can be used over night. Photovoltaic systems use storage batteries or rely on the utility power overnight.
• What are offgrid solar systems?
• off-grid solar systems are photovoltaic systems not connected to the grid and not supported by a utility. They are autonomous and are sized to supply the household electricity consumption day and night
• What is required for installing a residential solar system
• Enough roof area or not-shaded garden area facing south; typical size is 5-12 square meter
• What are the required permits?
• Solar thermal systems and solar photovoltaic systems need to comply with local building codes. An on-grid photovoltaic system must be approved by the utility. It is recommended to get an authorized electrician to approve an off grid solar system
• What is net metering
• In many states, the utility is obliged to buy back surplus electricity from the grid connected residential solar power system. A bi-directional monitoring (metering) is installed to meter the electricity that the house received from the grid and the amount it supplied to the grid
• What about harsh conditions?
• Most systems can withstand strong winds, hail and snow storms
• What is the life expectancy?
• 15 to 20 years is normal, batteries can last 5 to 10 years
• Installation Alternatives
• The 2 alternatives are to buy a kit and install it yourself (DIY) or sign a turn key contract with a certified solar contractor
• Do I need backup batteries for power outages?
• It is not recommended in developed countries. Outages are rare and don’t justify the cost and efforts. In countries with outages record, adding batteries need to be evaluated on a case by case basis