Where can you install your solar panel?

There are several methods of mounting solar panels.

Panels may be installed almost anywhere from homes and residential properties, to a range of commercial establishments, from restaurants and farms to hospitals, on lakes and canals, and more.

As more people look to own solar or purchase solar power, installers are designing novel systems that save or re-use space.

The choice of mounting is typically determined by factors such as the location of the site, the available space, the cost of installation, etc.

Roof-mounted

Solar panels can be mounted directly onto the roof of a building.

This is a common method of installation and works well for both commercial and residential projects depending on the free space available, the type of roof, and the absence of elements that can cast shadows on panels.

Ground-mounted

Solar panels can also be mounted on the ground using a racking system. This method is often used for large-scale solar panel arrays. Most Utility Scale Projects are ground mounted. Ground-mount solar panels are set up on the ground and use a standard installation or a pole-mount installation.

Some ground-mounted solar panel systems can move with the sun in order to capture the most sunlight they can each day. These systems use either single or dual-access trackers that literally track the movement of the sun through the day, and the year respectively.

Trackers

Solar panels can be mounted on tracking systems that follow the sun throughout the day, literally tracking its movement. This allows the panels to capture more energy than fixed-mounted panels.

These trackers can be deployed for both rooftop and ground-mounted systems, but space and the cost to deploy trackers play a role in the decision. Panels may have a single or double-axis tracker.

Pole-mounted

Solar panels can be mounted on poles or towers to increase the amount of sunlight they receive. This method is often used in remote or rural areas with lots of open space, on properties like farms and around barns, etc.

The solar panels mounted on poles may also be directly integrated with lighting systems like traffic lights, street lights, billboards, etc.

Building-integrated

Solar panels can be integrated into the design of a building, for example, on the walls or the roof, creating a more aesthetically pleasing look.

A step further are BPIV or Building - Integrated Photovoltaics Projects are those where the solar panels are used as a replacement for traditional building materials such as roofing or siding.

Floating solar panels

Panels are installed on the surface of water bodies, like lakes and reservoirs. This helps reduce the rate of evaporation, especially from man-made water bodies and frees up land as well. These installations are typically moored onto the shore/bank of the water body.

Image

https://www.istockphoto.com/search/2/image?phrase=rooftop+solar

https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/ground-solar.html

https://www.gettyimages.in/photos/building-integrated-photovoltaics

https://stock.adobe.com/in/search/images?k=floating%20solar

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