6 Problems With Rooftop Solar

Oftentimes People ask our team, where has our Solar Fence idea come from ?

The casual observer is so used to seeing solar on rooftops, he/she might not be able to imagine solar panels integrated elsewhere. To rooftop solar’s credit, the idea makes sense; there are very good reasons why so many rooftops are covered in panels, which is why we see so many roofs covered with silicon nowadays.

However, as the Solar Fence inventor Alexander Cavallieri discovered first hand, not all rooftops are eligible for a solar power plant, limiting the deployment of the technology for individual home residential and commercial usage:

Problem:

Roofs oftentimes have a less than ideal position and slope for achieving maximum solar panel efficiency. Have you ever watched sunflowers ? If you look closely enough, you’ll notice that sunflowers position themselves to always face the sun as it moves throughout the day. Your roof sadly, does not have this option.

Moreover, many roofs may not have much available surface area due to attic windows, vents, chimneys, satellite dishes etc.

Solution:

1) The Solar Fence is both a good alternative or a compliment to existing rooftop solar power systems. Houses that were previously unable to install efficient rooftop solar because of their roof orientation, now have the option to forego the roof alltogther.

2) Reposition your roof / rebuild your house to be able to install solar panels (though with such an investment what’s the point anyway ?)

3) To offset tilt problems Invest in mounting frames which will give your solar panel system a better angle to increase efficiency, but at the cost of increased weight stress to your roof, and an additional expense.

Problem:

Solar panels can be quite heavy, 40 – 60 pounds of weight (20-30 kg) per panel. Older, weaker roofs or roofs exposed to heavy snowfall may depreciate faster due to the added stress and any possible cracks suffered during the course of the system’s lifetime.

Moreover, holes must be drilled into the roof, causing possible leakage in the long term.

Solution:

The Solar Fence is a stand-alone unit, causing no extra stress anywhere.

Problem:

Efficiency of your solar panels can be dramatically reduced if the panels get dirty or are seasonally covered in snow. Even something as small as a single bird dropping can affect the energy production of the entire unit, and accessing your roof to clean them can be difficult and dangerous.

Rooftops can also get quite hot and the panels are exposed to a drop in efficiency due to overheating, which can also be dangerous.

Solution:

1) The Solar Fence is located at ground level and enables you to easily clean the panels on a daily basis if needed, without much hassle and effort. Moreover, greater airflow through the fence and the aluminum material it’s made of provide a natural heat sink, decreasing efficiency loss due to overheating.

2) Solar Panel Cleaners are professionals specializing in accessing rooftop solar power plants and cleaning them for a fee.  Some providers may offer you annual plans (depending on the contractor).

Problem:

Generally, it’s a bad idea to put a fire hazard on top of everything you own. Yet, we’re doing exactly this with rooftop solar installations, which could combust due to a manufacturing error, installation error, or damage over time.

An additional problem is, that if the rooftop solar array combusts into flames, you may not notice the problem until it’s too late. When the firemen finally arrive, they will fill your house with water/extinguishing foam, since there is no other option, causing you secondary damage to your possessions in addition to roof repair and solar power plant loss.

Solution:

The Solar Fence is a distance away from your property, so there is more time to extinguish a potential fire, and a greater chance that you will catch the fire before it spread to a disastrous scale.

Problem:

Unless you have heaps of land to spare, most residences prefer their front and back yards to be free for family fun in the summertime, a future pool or precious gnome collection.

Solution:

1) The Solar Fence saves you heaps of space by stacking solar cells vertically at greater efficiency due to the smart shadow management system. The total power output might be less than a giant ground-mounted system, however this configuration enables you to have the best of both worlds, space and power !

2) Install Rooftop Solar, providing your roof is spacious enough for your energy needs and our other points haven’t convinced you yet.

Problem:

Although silicon solar cells are really pretty up-close, let’s just face it, they are very ugly and unaesthetical on top of rooftops.

Solution:

The Solar Fence looks terrific !