Get the most out of your solar panels

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1. Choose the right place

To get the most out of your panels it is worth thinking about where they go. Ideally they generate right through the day. A south-facing roof is the best situation, and the angle matters too. It is also important that no shade falls on them and that the roof structure is sound. One of our advisers will happily tell you more in a no-obligation conversation.

2. Keep your panels cool

The backsheet, the protective sheet the cells rest on, comes in black or white. Black absorbs heat while white reflects it, so a white backsheet stays cooler and keeps the panels cooler, which gives a higher yield than a black one.

Ventilation is a second way to keep panels cool. A good ventilation gap carries the heat away and keeps the cells from warming up, which raises the yield because the panels do not overheat.

3. The best inverter for your situation

To turn sunlight into usable electricity, panels need an inverter. At Dijkman Zonne-energie we work with Enphase microinverters among others. These sit behind each panel and carry a smart microchip. Because they work independently of one another, you get the highest possible yield per panel. Another advantage is that no central inverter is needed in the house.

4. Clean them regularly

Once the panels are on the roof it is worth checking them for dirt now and then. Rain washes most of it away, but bird droppings and leaves tend to stay. Do not underestimate that: one good splat of bird droppings can cost 2 to 5% of the yield. So inspect your panels regularly. For the first three years you need not clean them, because a coating protects them and cleaning too early removes it. If your panels do need a clean, read how to clean them yourself or have a specialist do it.

Tip: have your panels cleaned at the beginning of April. The sunny months are on their way, and clean panels give the highest yield.

Annual yield in %

5. A greener household

Choosing solar panels was a good decision. But to get the most out of them, you can make your house greener as well. The less power you use indoors, the more you can net off. That means a lower energy bill and power fed back to the grid, for which your supplier pays you. A win either way.

A few tips for making your house greener:

• Turn the heating down a notch and put on a jumper or reach for a blanket.
• Close windows and doors when the heating is on, so heat does not escape.
• Unplug appliances you rarely use.
• Do not leave lights burning for nothing.
• Get rid of old appliances and choose ones with an A label: they use far less energy.

6. You pay no VAT

Since 1 January 2023 you pay no VAT on buying and installing solar panels. That helps, because you no longer have to put the money up first and wait for the tax office to return it. It also means your panels pay for themselves sooner, so you enjoy the sun to the full earlier. For more, see this blog about the zero VAT rate on solar panels.