Solar Panel Installation If you are thinking of installing solar panels, you are most likely wondering: which installer should I choose for my self-consumption system? While many people think the only way to access solar energy is to install solar panels, there are other, more cost-effective ways to access this renewable energy source. If you’re looking for an affordable and reliable way to power your home, 4Change Energy plans are the way to go.
In this article, we explain what are the important factors that you must take into account to choose the best photovoltaic panel installation company.
Step 1. Compare several budgets for your photovoltaic solar installation
First of all, if you are evaluating the possibility of installing solar panels in your home or business, it is advisable that you request and compare several offers from different installers.
Making the decision to switch to photovoltaic self-consumption is an initiative that requires an economic investment, therefore, it is important that you spend enough time assessing which solar panel company offers you the best conditions based on your needs.
This starting point is essential since more and more companies have decided to enter the photovoltaic solar energy industry, therefore, the offer of installation companies is very wide and it is convenient to take a period of time to analyze the various budgets.
What information do I need to provide to receive a quote for solar panels?
Place where the photovoltaic installation is going to be carried out: the annual hours of sunshine that your province receives will be decisive to knowing how many Solar Panel Installation your home or business needs.
The address of the property where the project will be carried out.
Your consumption profile, that is, how and how much electricity you consume. To do this, it is best to provide a recent electricity bill or CUPS number.
Solar panels have a useful life of between 25 and 30 years, therefore, it is essential to analyze certain factors that will be decisive in the profitability of the self-consumption system.
Step 2. What brands does the self-consumption installation company work with?
One of the most important points to analyze when we have received offers for solar panel systems from various companies is knowing the origin of the manufacturers of the materials they use in their photovoltaic systems.
The self-consumption sector in Spain is booming and more and more people decide to start in the photovoltaic energy business.
For this reason, we must ensure that the materials that the installation company is going to use have maximum reliability and that we are going to obtain maximum performance from our photovoltaic system.
There are several criteria that we must take into account, among them:
- Choose companies that have a good reputation throughout their professional career, so that they can take care of the guarantees they offer on their products.
- In relation to the previous point, an essential factor is knowing what guarantees each brand offers and their duration.
- For example, the duration of the warranty for solar panels is usually between 10 and 12 years on average, depending on the manufacturer, and that of photovoltaic inverters is between 5 and 10.
- Bet on manufacturers that invest in research to constantly improve their products.
- The efficiency and reputation of each photovoltaic component suit the energy needs.
What are the best brands of components for a self-consumption system?
In short, if we decide to switch to self-consumption, it is not advisable to go for the cheapest. Solar installations in single-family homes in Spain represent an average cost of around 6,000 euros.
If we opt for components that do not offer good performance, this investment will take longer to pay for itself and, therefore, will be much more expensive.
In the photovoltaic industry, there are many brands that offer products with excellent performance. Next, we show you a choice of the best manufacturers in the self-consumption sector:
Step 3. Technical visit and preliminary design of the photovoltaic system
Once the installer finishes the study, he will provide you with the final budget so that you can make the final decision.
The final budget must have both the final price and the previous design of your future photovoltaic system. This preliminary study allows us to know a series of fundamental information, which is:
How much am I going to invest and how much am I going to save?
What should be the orientation and inclination of the solar panels to obtain the maximum performance
If the roof is going to receive some type of shadow that could affect the installation
Where will the rest of the photovoltaic components be placed?
Therefore, after this visit, the installer must know how to justify why the chosen design is the most favorable based on the characteristics of your home and your consumption profile.
This study will be free or will have a certain cost depending on the installation company.
Step 4. Does it help you with the legalization process and the grant application?
The vast majority of installation companies offer “all-in-one” solutions that encompass the entire process, that is, from the initial budget and the technical visit to the start-up of the photovoltaic system.
One of the most important aspects along this route is to legalize solar installation as established by the self-consumption regulations of RD 244/2019.
This phase of the process usually lasts between 1 and 2 months approximately, and depending on the type of self-consumption and the autonomous community, it will be necessary to carry out some procedures or others. The most advisable thing is that you choose a company that has enough experience and helps you process these documents.
On the other hand, in Spain, there are more and more subsidies to invest in solar panels.
Some companies provide information and advice to the holders to request them, it is an aspect to assess to ensure that you are aware of all the aid available.
Step 5. Does the installer have certificates of professionalism?
To carry out photovoltaic systems, companies and installers must be certified in order to practice and comply with all legal requirements. Therefore, do not forget to verify that the installer has the relevant approval. Some of the certificates that guarantee professionalism are:
Step 6. Do you offer a solar maintenance service?
Solar panel installations hardly need any maintenance.
However, it is important to apply certain precautions in order to avoid future breakdowns and ensure that the installation is working at full capacity.
For this reason, it is convenient to choose an installer that offers the possibility of contracting solar maintenance and in this way, we will be calm in the event of any type of unforeseen event.
