12 things you should know

The cells in a solar panel are made of silicon. When sunlight hits them, an electric current flows between the two layers. An inverter converts that direct current into alternating current, which is the kind of electricity you use in the house. The inverter sends it to the meter cupboard, and from there it goes to every socket in and around the house. Want to know more about how solar panels work? Read the blog "How do solar panels work?".

Almost every roof in the Netherlands is suitable for solar panels. The question is how suitable yours is, which depends on its orientation, its surface, how much shade falls on it and how it is built. Curious whether your roof is suitable? Read the blog Jael wrote: "Is my roof suitable for solar panels?".

Your meter cupboard is suitable for solar panels if you have a three-phase connection, a free circuit in the cupboard and a modern electricity meter. Read our blog "Is my meter cupboard suitable for solar panels?" to find out more.

You can work out how many panels you need to cover your consumption from your annual energy use and the rating of a single panel.

A worked example:
Energy use: 3,500 kWh a year (the average for a household of four)
Panel rating: 360 Wp (360 * 0.85 correction factor = 306 Wp)
The sum: 3,500 kWh / 306 Wp = 11.4 solar panels

In this case we would advise at least 12 panels to cover the whole of your consumption. Read more in our blog "How many solar panels do I need?".

The inverter is the heart of a solar panel system. Without it the panels do nothing, because it is the inverter that turns the direct current the panels generate into the alternating current your house runs on.

At Dijkman Zonne-energie we work with Enphase, SMA and SolarEdge inverters. Every situation calls for a different one. Would you like to know how they differ, or which one suits your situation best? Read our blogs about inverters: "The different types of inverter" and "Which inverter suits my situation?".

Both depend on your own situation. A system of 10 panels generates around 10.06 kWh a day, worth about 2.29 euros. A system of 12 Longi panels with an SMA inverter costs 5,322.79 euros, of which 923.79 euros of VAT can be reclaimed. Want to see more worked examples? Read our blog "The cost and yield of solar panels".

The money you save on your energy bill is what pays the panels back. An average system has paid for itself in about six years.

Regional subsidies are available towards buying solar panels. See Energiesubsidiewijzer to find out which ones you qualify for.

On top of that, the Dutch tax office treats you as a business as soon as you own solar panels, which means you can reclaim the VAT you paid on them. That runs into hundreds or even thousands of euros, and you do not have to do a thing: Dijkman Zonne-energie arranges it for you. Read more in our blog "Subsidies and VAT refunds for solar panels".

At Dijkman Zonne-energie we give a longer warranty than the manufacturer does, because we know our products last longer than other brands. We also give a 20-year warranty on labour and on yield. Read more about our carefree warranty.

When your panels generate more power than you use, you can feed it back to your energy supplier. You are paid for it, or it is set off against the power you drew from the supplier at times when your panels generated too little. That is what net metering means. Read more in our blog "Net metering and feed-in payments for solar energy".

If you own your house, your solar panels are automatically covered by your buildings insurance. If you rent, the system falls under your contents insurance. Every insurer is different, so ask yours exactly what your panels are covered against. Some do not pay out for storm damage or theft. Want to know more? Read our blog "Insuring solar panels".

Solar panels are maintenance-free. You do not need to clean them for the first few years, although it is wise to check now and then for bird droppings or leaves. At Dijkman Zonne-energie you get excellent service at any time of day, and you can use our services even if another company fitted your panels. Want to know more? See "Service and maintenance of solar panels".