Technology | VIG Solar | Las Vegas Solar

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When the sun is shining, electricity travels from the panels through wires into a piece of equipment called an “inverter.” The inverter converts the DC electricity produced by the panels into the type of power your house uses (called Alternating Current, or AC). After the inverter converts the electricity, it then travels through a dedicated wire into your home’s electrical panel. From that point, all unused electricity generated by your solar panels travels back through the power lines and into the utility company’s power grid.

Did You Know?

1. Solar Panels

Solar panels are the most obvious part of the system. They sit on your roof and collect the unlimited energy supplied by the sun every day.

2. Inverter

The inverter converts the energy collected by the solar panels and turns it into usable electricity which powers your home. Inverters can be a separate piece (as shown here) or they can be micro-inverters which are part of each individual solar panel.

3. Meter

The meter is what measures your electricity usage. When using solar energy your meter will frequently run “backwards” as you sell your excess electricity back to the local utility company.

4. Utility Grid

The power lines and the whole huge system which supplies electricity to your entire region. Your home is still connected to the grid for times when your home needs electricity that you are not currently producing (mostly at night).

VIG Solar Residential Solar Installation

There are 3 main factors that determine whether your home is a good candidate for solar energy in Arizona:

Does it get a good amount of direct sunlight (not overly obstructed by shade)?
What is the orientation of the roof (technically “Azimuth” but means North, South, East, West)?
Roof condition, shape, and size.

Direct Sunlight

The sunlight has to make it to the solar panels in order for them to work. If the roof of your house gets a lot of direct sunlight during the day, then you may be an ideal candidate for solar. Having a shaded or obstructed roof however, doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t go solar, as there are several ways to overcome the challenges of shade.

Power Optimizers or Micro Inverters can improve a system’s performance. This technology allows each panel to work independently, ensuring that each panel produces as much electricity as it can when it receives sunlight. When one panel is shaded, its output goes down, but the rest of the system is unaffected. This is particularly effective to overcome the impact of tall trees in a nearby neighbor’s yard.

VIG Solar Residential Solar Installation On A Roof In Nevada

Orientation Of Your Roof

For the highest efficiency of solar energy systems in Nevada, it is recommended that solar panels face true south. This orientation is most effective in capturing direct sunlight throughout the day, which is essential given Nevada’s sunny climate. While roofs oriented to the east or west receive less direct sunlight compared to those facing south, they can still produce a considerable amount of electricity. In Nevada, a residence with east or west-facing solar panels can achieve around 80% of the efficiency of a home with south-facing panels. Consequently, even if the alignment isn’t ideal, installing a few extra panels can make up for the reduced efficiency, ensuring adequate energy production and significant savings on energy costs.

Roof Condition, Shape, and Size

Once installed, a solar system can function efficiently for over 25 years, so you’ll want your roof to be in good shape before you have solar installed. If your roof is in poor condition or is getting old, it may be necessary to replace your roof before adding solar panels. If that is your situation, you may be in luck! If you include the roof replacement as part of the solar project, the savings can help to offset the cost, it’s like getting a new roof with solar!

Roof shapes vary considerably on different house styles. The ideal roof shape for solar in Hawaii is a simple rectangle-shaped “gable” roof, where as many panels as needed can be installed without any concerns about space. Solar can also work fine with other roof shapes even those with many dormers or valleys, it just makes it a little more difficult to configure or fit the proper number of solar panels on the roof to meet the energy needs of the home.

At VIG Solar Solutions we pride ourselves on making the most out of every opportunity we can for our customers. So if you’ve already been told by another solar company that your house isn’t “good” for solar, let us take a look, we often deliver in many situations where other companies couldn’t.