Limited roof space, partly due to clearance regulations, options?

copacetic

I have quite a large just west of south facing roof, at a good angle. but basically the entire top half is taken up with 4 large Velux windows. I have about 8mx3.4m free roof space below them, which in theory would allow for 7x2 normal sizes panels, but because of needing clearance from velux and from roof edge, I guess I actually only have 8mx2.4m usable area for panels, so 7 normal panels. Is it even worth going ahead or should I wait a few years for technology to improve?

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058320051/limited-roof-space-partly-due-to-clearance-regulations-options

Couple of options.

Go for different sized panels. E.g. just to take an example, Q Cells G11S 405w Gappless mono module All Black (midsummer.ie) are 1.7m x 1.13m, but

Q Cells 585w XL-G11.3 Mono (midsummer.ie) are 2.4m x 1.13. You might find that you can fit more of the larger panels giving you more generation capacity than what you thought.

Alternatively do the initial installation. Get your grant, and everything setup, and then once that's all sorted get the additional panels in that contravens the clearance regs. My own intitial install I could only get 4 panels on my east roof. Once I had the grant all paid, I swapped them from portrait to landscape and dropped down to 35cm clearance to the edge of the roof (the regs are 50cm) and I managed to get 6 onto that roof.

copacetic

Thanks for that, the bigger panels with more output sound like a great option, had not realised they came in such large sizes. 2.4x1.1 should let me have 7 at 585W each within regs. Seems like a reasonable amount for an install, I guess they aren’t that common, haven’t seen them in the recent quotes thread

I’m not overly concerned about the velux clearance but the eaves one actually makes sense to me. We get quite strong winds and roof isn’t great.

DC999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121297215#Comment_121297215

I got some panels on our flat extension roof. Others here have used large shed roofs too. Do you have spare space elsewhere bar the crowded roof?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121300144#Comment_121300144

I've even a few leaned up against a gable of a shed! Although space isn't a concern for me.

copacetic

We are a terrace, no shed near house, would have to put them on patio to get extra panels! Or shed at end of the garden, but very shaded by trees, Or on a directly street facing north pretty steep pitched roof. Not really anything viable outside of the 8mx2.4m space on the south facing roof, but if could get 7x585W panels and a 4kW system, that seems viable?

bullit_dodger

If I understand how your house is orientated, the layout of the walls long your garden, one should be east facing and the other west facing. If it's a block wall, that might be a good place to vertically mount 5-6 panels. Angle them out 10-20 degrees from the wall and it could be a productive place for some panels.

Still just taking 4.1Kwp of south mounted panels on your roof would according to PVGIS ... JRC Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (PVGIS) - European Commission (europa.eu) generate....

3759 kwhr at (let's say) €0.30/unit = ~€1100/year. Pretty reasonable yield that and could put a good dent in your bills.

copacetic

Thanks for that, we do have block walls, the west one gets a fair bit of sun, but about 70 year old and behind a lot of hedging, trees and planting. With the trees and hedges on the other side blocking out the sun from around 7pm in summer.