High Output Panels Optimize Roof Space

Many city homes feature complex roofs with multiple levels, gables and dormers that leave little room for 1 meter by 2 meter rectangular solar panels.  Increasing electrical use for air conditioning and the latest appliances and gadgets increases the number of panels needed to meet the power bill. Urban homeowners looking for solar to help pay the bills often face a shortage of suitable roof space.  The ground mounted systems available for farms and acreage owners are not an option in the city.  Solar panel manufacturers are striving to address this problem with higher output panels for the same footprint.

The solar panels on this Saskatoon home maximize the output on the south facing roofs, which are on two different levels and have 3 different non-ideal shapes.  The panels are 400 Watt high efficiency monocrystalline solar modules with an innovative design by LG Electronics.  These are coupled with inverters by SolarEdge who have developed 500 Watt DC optimizers for these higher output panels. The SolarEdge optimizers provide per panel internet monitoring to show system production, as shown below for the production to date.

This highly effective system made it possible to meet the electrical usage for the home with the roof space available.