Solar panels - An increasingly common choice

The popularity of solar panels has grown, and a longer drive can confirm this. More and more homeowners are choosing solar panels for their homes, some with the environment in mind, others with utility bills. Because their production has increased and because there is demand, they are affordable and a good long-term investment.

Today, in the real estate blog article, we present how these panels work, how many types they are, what approvals you need, but also the advantages that come with their installation.

As a principle of operation, they take solar energy and turn it into heat, and it heats the water. In most cases, the solar panels are mounted on the roof of the house. There is the possibility that they can be mounted on a special sun tracking system (installations equipped with servomotor).
Depending on how they are used and how they capture heat, they can be photovoltaic or thermal.
1. Photovoltaic solar panels. They are the ones who transform solar energy into electricity. Also, depending on their composition, they can be: monocrystalline, polycrystalline, amorphous, microcrystalline or with a thin layer. An advantage of this type of panels is that they have a long lifespan of at least 20 years.
• Monocrystalline panels - They are the most cost effective because they produce the greatest amount of energy, are durable over time and do not require large surfaces for installation.
• Polycrystalline panels - They have a lower resistance to high temperatures than monocrystalline ones. Even if they are found at a lower price on the market, they do not give the same yield as in the case of monocrystalline ones.
• Thin-layer panels - They can be made of different photovoltaic materials, are more flexible and can be used on larger surfaces. Their yield is the same, regardless of the degrees outside.
• Hybrid panels - They can convert solar energy into both hot water and electricity. A disadvantage of these is that they cannot be used in the case of roofs with large surfaces.

2. Solar thermal panels. Compared to photovoltaic ones, thermal ones take solar energy and transform it into thermal energy. Specialists recommend their use especially in autumn and spring. In the winter months, they provide about 60-80% of the need for hot water, and in summer they give 100% efficiency. Regardless of the size or shape of the panels, you need to know that they all work the same way. And the thermal ones can be in turn of two types: with vacuum tubes (which help to capture solar energy) or flat solar panels (made of copper plates). The first ones have a higher efficiency and are easier to maintain, and the flat ones are suitable for all types of climate and can also be used to heat swimming pools.

The clear difference between photovoltaic and thermal panels refers to their size. In the case of photovoltaics, a higher efficiency is directly proportional to the large surface required for installation. The thermal ones need an area in accordance with the amount of water and heat used for daily consumption in the house.

The necessary documents in the process of installing a solar panel are:
• Urban certificate;
• Environmental agreement and environmental permit;
• Approval from the State Inspectorate for Constructions (ISC);
• Sanitation Notice;
• ISU opinion;
• Notice of telephone call;
• Energy supplier location permit;
• Technical approval for connection;
• Construction permit;
• Electricity production and accreditation license;
• Connection certificate.

To obtain each permit you need a series of documents, including: standard application, property deed, copy of identity document, proof of payment (in case of issued certificates), cadastral plan and topographic plans, situation plan, etc.


Photo credit: shutterstock.com
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