Are you planning to construct a new house well equipped with all essential amenities and the latest trends? What do you think about going solar with your new building? Solar electricity is becoming one of the most popular trends in India and around the world as a cost-effective renewable energy source.
It is worth putting in solar power technology to power your new house with clean and green energy, which can be used to meet different energy demands like heating, cooling, lighting, vehicle charging, cooking, and more. So, why not go with solarenergy systems that can power your new home effectively without creating any type of air and water pollution during the production? Switching to solar power can help you with short and long-term financial savings in your power bills and enjoy better ROI.
But, how would you plan your new house for the solar power setup? Does it require just internal wiring and putting the panels in a specific order? Let’s gather all the vital associated information here with a step-by-step guide.
Determine the energy efficiency of your home
The first step of planning your home for solar systems is to find out your energy usage and potential efficiency upgrades. Determine how much electricity is used in your home each month. Before going solar, keep into account the easy-to-implement and low-cost efficiency measures. Perform a home energy audit to get an idea of where your residential property is losing power and how can you improve the efficiency.
Use highly efficient electronic appliances and lighting like LED light bulbs. If you use power for heating and cooling, it will affect the amount of solar energy you require. To decrease the amount of power you have to generate with your solar system, weatherize your house.
Evaluate your solar potential and restrictions (if any)
Solar PV (photovoltaic) technologies can use scattered as well as direct sunlight for generating energy. So, determine the potential solar electricity that can be generated at your home. The amount of electricity produced by solar technologies at a specific facility can vary based on the system size and how much sunlight it is receiving.
To figure out whether your home is perfect for solar and if not, you can use reliable mapping services and tools. These tools may provide information on the estimated solar system size, cost, local contractors, and savings. But, they don’t consider all the crucial variables essential for your specific solar system.
So, it is highly recommended to consult a renowned and trustworthy rooftop solar installation company where experts can provide you with a precise evaluation of your solar potential, detailed recommendations, component expertise, evaluate shading areas, homeowner association restrictions, and necessary estimations.
Consider your solar options
You don’t need to purchase or build your own home for using solar energy. Several options are available to go solar if you rent your home or don’t wish to install a rooftop system. For example, solar leases, community or shared solar, buying a solar energy system, solarize programs, and PPA (power purchase agreements). Contact your local installer to figure out what programs are available in your locality.
Know your household power requirements
Before going for any solar energy setup, evaluate what type and size of solar technology you will need for your residential property. For this, estimate the solar energy requirements of your home. Review electricity bills for all months of the last year and see your power usage as the number given in kWh or kilowatt-hours.
Your solar electricity requirements may change due to unplanned changes. For example, if you will be planning some home addition, solar electric fences installation for enhanced security, or buying an electric vehicle (EV). You will probably need less energy than what you used earlier if you keep making some changes to improve energy efficiency.
Choose the right solar installation provider
Don’t hire any local solar installer randomly. Be sure the expert you are hiring is an insured, qualified, and experienced professional with the required certification. Ask for proof of licensure before signing a contractor. Solar PV panels should be installed by a licensed installer. You can check online resources for other customers’ reviews or ask your family members, friends, or near ones for references.
Ask your installer or a selected company if they are aware of the local permissions and interconnection processes required. This knowledge will help you in ensuring that your solar system will install appropriately. Solarize programs will need you to work with a particular solar installer to avail of the discounted price. Additionally, consider the industry standard warranty of your system. Confirm who will be responsible for the proper cleaning and maintenance of your system.
Learn about available financing options and subsidies
To encourage the adoption and use of solar energy in India, the government of India is providing numerous schemes, subsidies, tax benefits, and other financing options to home and commercial users. For example, the Central Government pays a subsidy of 70% of benchmark installation costs to some North Indian states and 30% of the benchmarked installation cost for rooftop photovoltaic solar systems for limited states.
The government has also announced several solar off-grid and grid-connected schemes like PM KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan), grid-connected solar rooftop programme, development of solar parks & ultra-mega solar power projects, development of grid-connected PV plants on canal banks, and more.
The subsidy percentage may vary from one state to another. Also, some of these options are just for educational institutes, homeowners, and social sectors not for commercial sectors. The eligibility criteria are also different. So, before adding any solar system to your household rooftop, contact your installation provider for any queries regarding solar system tax benefits, subsidies, or other financing options.
Select the right solution
You can choose between on-grid and off-grid solutions before going solar. If you just wish to lower your monthly electricity bills, you must prefer an on-grid solar system for your home. However, if you need a strong power backup for your commercial building, an off-grid solar system is the right choice to go with.
Go for the solar energy setup
Once you are done with all the steps mentioned above along with getting the necessary permissions, you can work with your installer to go solar. The expert will evaluate the right type and size of your solar system based on your home power needs. He will also look for other important parameters like availability of sunlight, system orientation & tilt, a system capacity of transforming sunlight into electricity, and shady areas. He will also make sure that all components are appropriately installed at the right angle to receive the maximum sunlight and produce enough solar energy to use day and night with no interruption.
Megamax Solar installers are always ready to guide you during solar system planning and installation. The best-in-class equipment and quality metrics are used to ensure complete customer satisfaction. So, get in touch with them to equip your new home with clean solar energy.