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How Do We Determine Layout For A Solar Panel System?

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One of the most common tasks we have as solar energy consultants is determining the number of solar panels that will fit on a roof and the best layout for panels. Before ever visiting the site we start with some tools to do a basic layout using whatever resources are available. These can include aerial imagery from online mapping providers, …

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Fort Myers, FL Home with Roof Vents Wants Solar Panels

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Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group   LOCATION Fort Myers, FL 33919 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heating Panels BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver™ ST NOTES This Fort Myers, FL home has several roof vents and other obstructions making solar pool heating difficult to arrange. However, by placing gaps between panels we are able to fit a suitably sized system to get the …

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How Many Solar Panels Are Needed to Heat a Swimming Pool

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When buying a solar pool heater, you may be surprised to find a range of suggestions for how many panels are needed to heat a swimming pool, but there are some guidelines that you can rely upon. The correct answer depends on your location, the orientation of the panels, shading impacts, the panel type, the panel performance rating, your desired …

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Solar Electric and Water Heating System for New Home in Naples, FL 34109

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Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group   LOCATION Naples, FL 34109 PRODUCT(S) Solar Photovoltaic (Electric) System BRANDS Hyundai, Unirac SolarMount, Enphase, SunEarth NOTES This planned home in Naples, FL is slated for a solar electric system, solar water heating, and possobly solar pool heating for a large family with several children. Because people are as big a factor …

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4 Top Solar Panel Design Trends | Via Modernize

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Guest post from our friends at Modernize. Images via Modernize. The world of solar technology is rapidly advancing. Gone are the days when residential solar energy systems were a dream of the future. Now, it’s more attainable than ever, and solar technology developers are coming up with more ways to make solar energy systems efficient, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing. Modernize …

Solar Electric System in Naples, FL 34110

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Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Naples, FL 34110 PRODUCT(S) Solar Photovoltaic (Electric) System BRANDS Hyundai, Unirac SolarMount, Enphase NOTES This home in Naples, FL needs around 10 kilowatts of solar energy to cover needs, but can only fit about 6 kilowatts on the ideal roof surfaces. The remaining roof surfaces are north facing (which is not …

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Solar Pool Heating Panels in Naples, FL

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Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group   LOCATION Naples, FL 34109 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heater BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver NOTES This home in Naples, FL has a great west roof, but the owner wants maximum performance, so we maximized the south roof on the front of the house first, then placed additional panels on the west to get adequate …

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Solar Pool Heater Design in Naples, FL

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Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Naples, FL 34109 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heater BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver NOTES This home in Naples, FL has a huge roof, but only on the east or west side. The decision about where to put panels usually comes down to pool equipment location, aesthetic concerns, or whether the owner is looking …

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Florida Solar Design Group Opinion on Microinverters in Solar Pro Magazine

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Florida Solar Design Group’s Principal Solar Designer was asked to contribute to the July/August 2015  publication of SolarPro Magazine, the leading trade publication for solar professionals. In the article Integrator Perspectives on Module-Level Power Electronics, Szumlanski offered his perspectives and opinions on microinverters, which appear below as an except of the full article. Module Level Power Electronics (MLPE) are devices that …

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Solar Electricity Output Based on Tilt and Orientation

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Dominick and I have our assistant Christie to thank for collecting 180 data points to help our clients visualize the difference in solar energy production depending on the tilt angle and the orientation (north, south, east, west) of solar panels. The chart below shows how much energy a 1 kilowatt solar panel array would produce annually along the vertical axis. …

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Solar Electricity Calculator for Photovoltaic Systems

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Florida Solar Design Group has released a consumer-oriented solar energy calculator that will help you find out how may solar panels you need based on a set of inputs that you enter, site information, weather data,  and various assumptions. It will calculate system energy output and provide a return on investment analysis personalized based on your inputs. This calculator is …

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Solar Electric System in Cape Coral, 33993

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Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Cape Coral, FL 33993 PRODUCT(S) Solar Electric (Photovoltaic) BRANDS Hyundai, Enphase NOTES Sometimes one side of the home is off-limits due to homeowner concerns about looks, so on this Cape Coral, FLhome we met the customer’s solar energy needs with solar photovoltaic panels on the east and west roofs. In …

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Small Solar Pool Heater in Bokeelia (Pine Island)

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Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Bokeelia, FL 33922 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heater BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver NOTES This home in Bokeelia already has an electric heat pump to heat a small 12’x12′ pool. A small solar pool heater is all that is required to reduce heating costs, and because the homeowner does not want to use the front of …

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Solar Pool Heaters | Roof Penetrations | The Truth

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The truth is that regardless of the brand of solar pool heater you choose, to secure them to your Florida roof properly a solar installer must use screws to achieve resistance against wind uplift. This strikes fear in some people, but the risk of roof leaks is extremely minimal. Dealers (and the industry as a whole) would not survive for …

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Cape Coral, FL – Solar Panels for Pool

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Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Cape Coral, FL 33914 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heater BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver NOTES This home with a beautiful tile roof in Cape Coral, FL is getting a solar pool heater installed. The south roof is the perfect size for an 8-panel system, which is pretty typical for pools slightly above average size. This system …

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Solar Electricity – Fort Myers, FL – Design Layout

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Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Fort Myers, FL 33905 PRODUCT(S) Solar Electric (Photovoltaic) BRANDS Hyundai, Enphase NOTES Florida Solar Design Group has recently been getting a lot of inquiries about solar electric systems in the Fort MyersShores to Alva area along the Caloosahatchee River. This area is served by Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC), whose electricity rates …

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Cape Coral Solar Pool Heater Avoids Roof Vent

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Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Cape Coral, FL 33914 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heater BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver NOTES This Cape Coral, FL home has a roof vent right in the location of where we want to put a solar pool heater. We decided to straddle the vent with panels on either side with just enough room to …

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Solar Panels for Pool Heat in Cape Coral, FL 33914

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Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Cape Coral, FL 33914 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heater BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver NOTES This smaller Cape Coral, FL home is getting a new pool, and the roof is just big enough to accommodate a suitably sized solar pool heater. With attic vents and a flat roof interfering with the best south …