What If My Roof Suffers From Shading?

A common worry for people who are new to solar energy is the belief that their property is unsuitable for solar panels. This due to their roof being susceptible to shade throughout the day.

If your house does suffer from a lot shading, yes the efficiency of your solar panels can be significantly affected which limit the attraction of solar energy yields. However, if only small portions of a roof acquires shading there is no need to worry - with the introduction of power optimizers, an appliance which attaches to the cables of solar modules, we can collectively combat the enemy we call shade!

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How optimisers counteract shade on your solar panels

• Optimisers enable panels to operate standalone meaning the other panels which are connected on its string are not affected by the underperforming, shade affected panel(s). A string is a line of panels which are connected to one-another; typically on an average 3 bedroom house you can fit a string of 6-8 panels on a roof albeit with no chimney's, Velux's etc. inhibiting the string. Optimizers work by attaching to the cables of each module on the string, maximizing energy production of each individual panel.

• Optimisers heighten communications which result in each panel being able to perform at their optimised output! With the use of optimizers, the performance of each module increases which overall greatens the efficiency of the used panels. This consequent of optimizers consistently tracking the maximum power point (MPPT) of each individual module in your system. Tracking MPPT increases DC power efficiency from the solar cell where subsequently the power of the central inverter is converted to usable AC power.

• Importantly, utilising optimisers means your whole solar system won't be scuppered by panels affected by shading. Optimising the shade affected panels consequently heightens performance amongst every single panel connected on the string and in result can increase energy production levels up to 25%!

How do I know if I need optimisers?

Notably, at P4 Solar, we will adequately advise you whether you need optimisers or not. Our resources when designing a solar report will calculate the shading implications on your property. Thus, with full confidence we can assess whether optimisers are necessary for you or not.

Overall, don’t be put off by solar panels if your house has a bit of shading; with optimisers and sufficient positioning, your panels can still perform exceedingly well and save you thousands on your energy bills! Don't hesitate to contact us if you need any advice on shaded properties; importantly, you can still obtain a top quality performing solar system with the correct equipment and advice.

If you are still unsure about power optimisers, watch this video created by one of our partners for a greater insight...

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