A: Properly trained installers follow the North American Roofing Association's guidelines for safe roof penetrations. Installers are only allowed to drill into the rafters or purling and are mandated to apply sealant as well as install proper flashing before attaching the rail system that holds the solar panels (see image). All metal components must be of stainless steel and aluminum. Due to the exposure to hurricane force winds and as an extra safety measure we double up on fasteners on the edges of solar arrays. This fortifies live load resistance of solar arrays to withstand wind gusts up to 160-180 miles per hour.

A: The National Electrical Code (NEC) is our guideline for electrical safety. Also known as "The Code", this 800 page document spells out all safety rules. "Article 100" states that only "qualified persons" can install solar equipment who must "follow the manufacturer's specifications". Components must be "listed and identified for the purpose" by a testing laboratory (UL). Business' best practices also require that only materials are used that can withstand extreme weather conditions (stainless steel, aluminum, copper). This is to ensure that components last for the entire lifetime of the system, which is typically 25 years. Solar panels and racking components have 20-25 years warranty while inverters have up to 20 years.

A: There are certifications and training institutions that issue proof of completed solar training. Ask to see the installers' certificates and documentation showing that they are qualified to install solar equipment with special emphasis on code compliance. Also, find out about their track record from previous installations and references from system owners.

A: It greatly depends on your electrical load profile. In other words, if you have a lot of appliances on during the day, your power production from solar will power them. If your production is less then what your appliances demand, the difference will be drawn from BPL. Your production will mainly depend on how many solar panels you can fit on your roof, what your roof orientation is (South is best, then West and East) and finally it depends on how much you want to spend on your system. Most of the time residences have to install extra panels to get the most energy out of the system in less than perfect conditions. Such systems cost more but pay back faster and offset more of your power bill. If you are so lucky to have a big roof and produce more than you use while the system is producing, BPL will pay you what's called "the avoided cost of generation" typically the equivalent of the fuel surcharge. Generally businesses will never produce more than they need as they operate the same time as power is generated by solar.

A: Yes you can, but not separately from other appliances or loads in your house. The way so called grid-tied systems connect to your house is in your electrical service panel. This means that all your loads, lights, appliances and everything using electricity is powered by your solar system as long as there is enough energy from the panels. If there is not enough from your panels you will draw the missing amount of power from BPL. Your power bill will reflect this by a reduction of energy drawn by BPL and hence a lower bill. If you are among the lucky ones having a huge roof that happens to face South and are willing to spend a good sum of money, you may offset your entire power bill. But most residential systems are sized to offset part of your power bills.

A: Absolutely. And that is the first thing to do before you decide to invest in a solar system. Energy efficiency is the buzz word and that means reducing your power consumption by installing LED lights and scrapping old, power hungry AC units for so called "inverter" types. These have a soft start motor and variable speed drive and thus operate more efficiently. You can save 30-40% on your power bill which means you will need a 30-40% smaller solar system. Its likely that your roof will be big enough to cover most of your remaining power needs. We can advise on all these measures upon request.

A: Fortunately that's not the case any more. With BPL's SSRG program we can install a grid-tied system that uses the power grid as batteries when you produce more power from your solar system than you use. That is rare but not unthinkable.

A: Yes. The prices on batteries are going down dramatically. Typically an off grid system cannot power your heavy appliances like air conditioning units and water heaters. Although, if you can afford it, anything is possible. The main advantage of installing batteries is that the stored energy can prolong the time you reduce your consumption from solar. In other words, the solar feeds some of the produced energy to power your house during the day while at the same time putting some of it away in the batteries. When the sun goes down your system switches from solar panels to batteries and keeps powering your house until the batteries are depleted. The length of time your batteries can power your house depends on your loads, the size of your solar system and battery capacity.

A: While solar panels can be installed on almost any type of roof, there is an ideal roof for a solar installation. If done properly, a solar installation should last 25 - 30 years. Consequently, a roof should be prepared to last the same period of time. It is worth noting that a solar panel installation can extend the life of your roof. An ideal roof would also be a roof that has a southern facing side and is not under the shade of trees or other structures. Our installers are experienced working on any roof type and will make sure your system is secure and positioned to operate at maximum efficiency. Ideally, the southern sloping roof should have a minimum area of 280 sqft for solar panels. This would allow for the minimum 3.8kw system.

A: A full solar system for a home is likely to cost no less than $15,000.00. A solar system is a long term investment (25-30 years). In the Bahamas, your return on investment can be as high as 20% or more!.