More and more people are now investing in solar panels due to their numerous benefits—from cutting down on electricity bills to contributing to a more sustainable and eco-friendlier household or business.
Most homeowners and businesses are spending a fortune on solar panel installation. While its benefits and longevity make it a cost-effective investment, some people are not doing enough to maintain the efficiency of their panels during their lifespan. As a result, their solar panels don’t produce as much power as they could and cost them more.
Fortunately, there are several ways you can maximize the efficiency of your solar panels. Here are some of them:
- Invest In The Efficient Models And Types
The first step towards maximizing solar efficiency is to purchase the ones with higher efficiency. Not all solar panels are created equal. The type, structure, and material of a model can determine its efficiency. However, higher efficiency models also tend to be pricier.
While the initial cost will be more expensive, purchasing the more efficient solar panel types can help you get the best results. In general, you can find a list of solar panel types and their efficiency rating with a simple online search.
You can check your local government for any solar panel installation rebates or credits offered if the cost concerns you. Since solar power is good for the environment, most governments provide incentives for new installations to create a more sustainable world.
For instance, the Australian government offers a solar rebate scheme and issues Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) that helps reduce the upfront costs of solar panel installation by up to 30%. If you want to know more about STCs, here’s a great post to read.
- Choose Experienced Installers
If your solar panels are not installed correctly, you won’t receive the optimal amount of sunlight and won’t get maximum efficiency.
By hiring reliable and experienced installers from sparkchangesolar.com, you can ensure that your solar panels are professionally installed to provide the best possible performance.
The best installers can help plan for your solar installation. They know the correct orientation and angle of panels for maximum sunlight exposure throughout the day. In addition, experienced installers know that the effectiveness of the panels is also affected by temperature levels.
Like with any electronic device, the efficiency of a solar panel can drop as the temperature rises. In this case, the best installer can ensure that your panels are installed with a sufficient gap between the surface to ensure air movement and prevent overheating.
- Eliminate The Shade
Solar panels require solar energy to produce electricity. If a tree or a nearby building blocks the sun, the energy output could be significantly reduced. Therefore, solar panels work best if they get direct sunlight.
So, to ensure that you get maximum efficiency, consider eliminating shades caused by trees. While you don’t have to cut down trees, a simple tree pruning and trimming to ensure that no area of your panel is shaded should be enough.
If the trees can’t be removed or the shade is from a neighboring building, you can try using a power optimizer or microinverter. This tool can help maximize the output from the unshaded area of your solar panels.
- Do Routine Cleaning
Traditional solar panels don’t have moving parts. So, they require little maintenance. However, they also tend to accumulate dust and dirt since they’re static. With dust and dirt covering the panels and blocking the sunlight, you can expect a drop in your panels’ efficiency. According to a report, dust and dirt build-up can reduce your solar panels’ output by up to 7%.
Thus, you need to keep up with routine cleaning to remove any debris and dust build-up. In general, you can easily rinse off dust and dirt by spraying them with a garden hose. However, built-up grime will require more effort. Use a soft rag and a gentle cleaner to scrub your panels lightly. Consider purchasing a long-handled mop or cleaner to scrub and clean hard-to-reach panels. If your solar panels are high up on the roof, cleaning them yourself would be quite dangerous and safer done by professionals. In this case, getting the service of experts in solar panel cleaning from Seattle is the ideal choice.
- Invest In A Solar Power Concentrator
A solar power concentrator allows you to maximize the power of your solar arrays by concentrating sunlight. It uses lenses or mirrors that concentrate a large amount of solar light onto a receiver.
The concentrated sunlight is captured and falls on the solar panel for optimum efficiency with a tracking system. An extra benefit of a solar power concentrator is that it can efficiently store solar energy during the night.
Takeaway
Solar panel installation is a great way to save money while reducing your negative impact on the environment. Being an expensive investment, you want to ensure that your solar panels achieve maximum efficiency in providing electricity output.
With a few simple steps mentioned above, you can ensure that you’re getting the most return from our solar investment.
