Planning, what do we think of it? Me personally, I think planning can be a pretty stressful experience, especially if you’re planning for something you aren’t too informed about. Fortunately, we at Kendrick Renewables are experts in Solar PV installations, we feel it necessary to talk you through the process of our work and what you can do to ensure things are all ready to begin and can be carried at as smoothly as possible!
Starting off, you need to determine what your rate of energy consumption is. Doing this will allow you to appropriately measure the size of the area in which your panels will need to cover. If you do not feel like doing this manually, handling all the calculations yourself, you can make use of this tool from Selectra to get a clear idea of your energy usage.
But if you feel doing it manually would be better, then follow this guide.
Each electrical appliance you use, you first need to find the wattage which can be found on the label or product manual. From there you multiply the wattage by the hours in which it has been used. Afterwards dividing it by 1000 to get the kilowatt hours per day or week!
Adding this up from all devices you measure will give you the full estimate of your consumption rate!
Once you have it all calculated, you need to evaluate the physical conditions of your roof, first making sure it is stable. Then looking the orientation of your roof, which direction your panels will be facing and how the shade over it is from things like trees or potentially taller buildings as well as the type of tiles you have, to make sure they are suitable for panels to be installed onto!
After this, you should research into which company are best suited for your needs within your local area, be sure to take note of their certifications and experience. Companies recognised by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. This is a sign of quality that any legitimate installer would be able to show. Once you’ve found a verified installer, approach them for a quote (we can offer you one completely free!) to find out both how much you would have to pay, and how long it will take to setup.
Just like any other project, you next need to get your planning permissions sorted. Check to make sure you understand any local regulations or building permits that may be required for Solar PV installations. It is rare that rooftop Solar PV installations require planning permission, but it is still worth checking for both that and the building regulations. And finally, you will need the G99 certificate to show that your project has been approved!
Circling back to the roof itself, is it clear? We hope so. Make sure that any dirt and debris accumulated overtime is completely removed. Not only for the sake of the installation but everything after. Your panels need a clear space to fit onto (or into based on the design you go with) if there is no damage or leaks from your roof and the team who will be carrying out the installation then on that front all of it is ready to go!
For preparations this is a lot to look through, but we are almost through with it all now don’t worry! Our next stop will be financing, and there is a little thing you can check to potentially get yourself a helping hand to offset the costs of installation.
In the United Kingdom there is a government backed scheme known as the “ECO4” scheme, offering funding for energy efficiency improvements directly to low-income, fuel-poor and vulnerable households with a potential to cover 100% of the cost of purchase and instalment. This scheme will ease the cost for those who qualify for it and allow areas to develop into more eco-friendly environments.
The final thing to do is to sign off on the design with your installer. Making sure the system meets your energy needs and property regulations, as well as ensuring the surface for the panels is perfect for the installation to be carried out.
And from there, you are done! Those are the steps to be taken to planning out how to install the Solar PV equipment on your roof.
With all the planning done, how long will an installation take?
Beyond the obvious statement that it depends on the size of the area in which the installation is happening, the weather and other circumstances that would fall out of our control. The average time in which Solar PV installations take is around two to three days! An amazingly fast process.
Starting with the scaffolding. Setting up the scaffolding will be done across either the first or second day depending on how long it takes. Once all the scaffolding is up the actual installation process of your panels will begin, and this usually will only take a day (sometimes less) Now during this, you should expect some brief periods where your power will be out, an estimate of this is normally a maximum between thirty minutes to an hour.
With a better idea now of how the preparation process goes, you should now feel more confident making your decision on switching to renewable energy sources!
We at Kendrick Renewables would be happy to walk you through the entire process, starting with a free quote which can be conducted by reaching out to us! Get in touch and we’ll get it done.
Quick, efficient and hassle free. As it should be.
Written by Karik Childs
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