At Saskatoon Solar, our customers ask many questions about solar power. Here are some of the frequently asked questions about solar energy.

When sunlight hits the solar panels, it triggers a chemical reaction that generates a Direct Current power. This power flows to the inverter, transforming it into an Alternating Current power. This conversion is vital because your home and the electric grid run on AC power. From there, the power flows into your home to run appliances and provide lighting or to the power electric grid. Also, you can divert solar panel energy to a battery and store it if you have an excess supply. A battery operates as a DC power source.

Solar energy system installation can save you money on your monthly electricity bills. Also, you safeguard yourself against increasing or fluctuating electricity rates. The money you'll save by installing a home solar energy system depends on the local solar policies and utility rates. Nevertheless, installing a solar power system is a wise investment, no matter where you live.

Yes. Solar panels don't generate electricity at night. However, they will produce electricity on a rainy or cloudy day. But they will generate more electricity on sunny days. For solar panels to produce electricity, they require direct sunlight. Therefore, they create more electricity when more sun hits them. But they will still produce electricity even if it's only bright sunny some hours during the day.

Besides the financial benefits, solar power systems benefit the environment. Any renewable energy source has numerous health and environmental benefits. Solar power system installation reduces greenhouse gas emissions, enabling you to participate in reducing climate change. Also, solar energy has fewer air pollutants, such as particulate matter and sulfur dioxide, which has numerous health problems.

Solar power price has dropped significantly over the last decade. However, the cost of solar panels depends on various factors, including size, brand, and type. Please get in touch with us to get an estimate for your solar panels. Our experts can also guide you to install solar panels to produce the necessary power for your home or farm.

Roof orientation influences your solar panels' direction, which affects the amount of electricity they produce. Northerly orientation is usually the best. However, a professional solar installer will consider your roof orientation to place the panels in their best locations and maximize electric production.

Most solar panels are self-cleaning. When it rains, surface runoff will drain dust and debris away. However, your solar panels might collect debris, dust, and bird droppings if it doesn't rain for an extended period, reducing the amount of electricity they produce. Therefore, checking and cleaning your solar panels might be necessary. Use a soft cloth and a horse to clean your solar panels.

Yes. Solar panel installation increases a property's value. Most property buyers prefer homes with solar power systems because they lower monthly electricity bills. Moreover, they avoid the cost of installing solar panels upon moving into residences with solar power systems.

Nothing is free in life. However, you can lower the cost of installing solar panels by exploiting federal or state government tax incentives. Please research the available tax incentive programs to determine what can work best for you.

Many property owners approach us asking, how many solar panels do I need for my home? Determining the correct number of quality solar panels to install enables you to ensure you’re paying for the amount of electricity your property needs. If you install fewer solar panels, your systems won’t meet your household’s energy requirements. However, installing more solar panels than necessary creates an oversized system, prompting you to give away electricity.

The number of solar panels that your business, farm, or home needs to create an ideal size system depends on the tilt or angle of the panels, the direction the panels will face, and the amount of electricity your property needs per year. Experts recommend 1,000W of solar power for 1,1000kWh of electricity usage. Ideal azimuths and steeper tilts produce more solar energy per panel. So, the rough 1,100kW or kWh can fluctuate by + or – 15%, depending on the property.

The amount of electricity your home, farm, or business consumes and the amount of sunshine your property receives per day should determine the number of solar panels you install. For instance, a 5-kW solar energy system produces an average of 700 kWh per month within central Saskatchewan. Using these figures, you can calculate the number of solar panels to install on your property depending on the amount of electricity your farm, household, or business consumes per year. Our experts at Saskatoon Solar can help you calculate the number of solar panels to install to ensure your property gets sufficient power.

Considering factors that affect solar panels performance is crucial. For instance, snow can solar panels lose 5 to 10% of energy every year due to snow. Therefore, ensure the solar panel installers account for snow coverage when sizing your business or home’s solar power system to ensure you get 100% power supply even when it snows.

Working with reputable installers is the best way to determine the number of solar panels to install. However, you must pick experts who will help you save on your solar panel installation. When you hire Saskatoon Solar, we help you take advantage of the available incentives and rebates. These include the following:

​If you qualify for this program, you can sell your unused or excess solar electricity to a local retailer at $0.075 per kWh. This will give you credit that will roll over to the next month and apply to your electricity charges.

​You can get an accelerated capital cost allowance from the federal government for your commercial renewable energy system if it’s under class 43.1 and 43.2 of the Income Tax Regulation. With this program, you may write off 100% of an asset within a year of its purchase.

Using this program, you can install a solar system and connect it to the SaskPower grid to sell electricity at a pre-determined rate. This incentive program accepts applicants once annually depending on proximity to high-priority power supply lines. Saskatoon Solar can help you determine the number of solar panels to install on your residential or commercial property to ensure an uninterrupted green energy supply. Please contact us to get a more accurate figure!