FAQ

About solar panels

¿ How heavy is each solar panel and what are its dimensions?
Approximately 20 kilograms. 1,65 meters tall and 1,0 meter wide in most cases.
¿ What guarantee terms are offered by América Fotovoltaica?
While the specific details of the guarantees applicable to you will be provided in writing when you confirm and accept the terms of the installation, find below some common terms: – Solar modules: 10-year product guarantee on manufacturing-related material and workmanship defects. – Power output guarantee: 25-year power output guarantee on photovoltaic modules ranging from 96% on year 1 to 80% in year 25. This means an 80% of the initial minimum output power is still guaranteed after 25 years. – Inverter: 5-year product guarantee on manufacturing-related material and workmanship defects.
¿ Do I need any type of permit to complete the photovoltaic project in Colombia?
No, at the moment no permit is needed.
¿ How long would it take for the solar project to be installed?
Between 5 and 7 working days. If the stock of solar components was insufficient, the import process would typically take 3 – 4 weeks. Installation time depends on the size and actual surface where the panels will be installed.
¿ Can I install the panels myself?
No. Solar project installations should be handled by professionals.
¿ What maintenance is needed on solar panels?
Almost nothing. The best approach is to conduct a check every year to ensure all modules are in good condition. Additionally, it is recommended to clean the panels with water occasionally to remove dirt which can negatively affect its efficiency ratio.
¿ Is a solar installation safe?
Yes it is. A photovoltaic installation is extremely quiet, and does not emit any gases. The cables are kept tidy and are covered to avoid any type of friction. The inverter must also be covered.
¿ What is the lifetime of a photovoltaic system?
The estimated lifetime of a solar module is 30 years. Furthermore, the modules’ performance is very high providing over 80% of the initial power after 25 years which makes photovoltaic a very reliable technology in the long term. In general, most manufacturers propose performance guarantees on the modules after 20 years of 80% of the initial output power. But this doesn’t mean that a photovoltaic system doesn’t produce energy after 20/25 years. Most solar systems installed more than 25 years ago still produce energy today.

About solar energy

¿ Do solar panels only work during day time?
Yes. Solar panels work with the same raw material than plants, the solar irradiation. That is why they work only during day light, even under cloudy conditions. Indeed, if a photovoltaic module is exposed to an artificial light, it will also produce electricity. The only thing that really prevents a photovoltaic panel to produce electricity is darkness. The light of the sun consists both of direct light and indirect or diffuse light (which is the light that has been scattered by dust and water particles in the atmosphere). Photovoltaic cells not only use the direct component of the light, but also produce electricity when the sky is overcast. It is a common misconception that photovoltaic only operates in direct sunshine and is therefore not suitable for use in temperate climates. This is not correct: photovoltaic makes use of diffuse solar radiation as well as direct sunlight. The greater the available solar resource, the higher the electricity generation potential. A photovoltaic module exposed to the sun at midday by clear sky will produce the maximum of its output electricity.
¿ How much electricity does a photovoltaic system produce?
The electricity production of a photovoltaic system depends on external (environmental conditions) and internal (technology, layout of the system) parameters. For example, the size of the photovoltaic system, the orientation of the solar modules towards the sun, the inclination of the roof, the climate zone and the effects (or not) of any shadows. In Colombia, a typical solar installation of 2 Kw peak of output power can produce between 2.500-3.000 Kwh of electricity per year. As a reference, the average household in Colombia consumes 1.700 Kwh of electricity per annum.
¿ What is the difference between thermal solar energy and solar energy?
The radiant energy of the sun can be converted into other forms of energy, such as heat or electricity. The photovoltaic solar energy system converts sunlight directly into electric power to run lighting or electric appliances. A photovoltaic system requires only daylight (direct and indirect sunlight) to generate electricity. The solar thermal energy system generates and produces heat. This energy can be used to heat water or air in buildings or in many other applications.
¿ How do I use the electricity that is produced by the solar panels?
Everything is automatic. Switching on the TV or a light bulb keeps on working as always. The electricity produced by the solar panels is taken first by the so called inverter, which conditions the electric flow to be properly used by all our electric appliances.
¿ How many solar panels does a typical house need?
The annual average electricity consumption per household in Colombia is 1.700 Kwh. To produce this volume of electricity and be fully independent from the electricity retailer (depending clearly on various factors like location, solar irradiation available, etc) a photovoltaic project of 1,5-2,0 Kw peak of output power would be needed. This in turn is associated with an installable area of 20-25 m2, which implies between 6 and 10 solar panels.
¿ What is the best orientation for the solar panels?
Due to Colombia´s geographical location being very close to the Equator line, the orientation of the panels is less relevant than it is for those living in the northern or southern hemispheres. This is because sun light reaches Colombia much more vertical with less inclination. Generally, to get the most from solar panels they should point in the direction that captures the most sun. Solar panels should always face south if you are in the northern hemisphere, or north if you are in the southern hemisphere. The most important aspect is that solar panels should not be exposed to shadows as these can negatively affect the panels and would produce much less electricity.

About solar systems and components

¿ What does grid parity mean?
For consumers, it means photovoltaic electricity becomes cheaper than the retail electricity price. In light of the decreasing solar electricity generation costs and increasing price for conventional electricity, solar systems will become more and more competitive. During the next 5-10 years solar electricity will become cheaper for private households than conventional electricity purchased from the traditional distribution utility. Grid parity is being reached progressively from 2010 onwards in some European markets. While the costs of conventionally generated electricity have constantly increased in recent years and – faced with finite resources – will continue to increase by a considerable extent, the cost of solar energy has dropped by an average of 10% per year.
¿ What is an inverter?
When sunlight strikes a photovoltaic cell, direct current electricity is generated. An inverter is a device which converts direct current to alternating current electricity. Moreover, an inverter is required to connect a photovoltaic system to the power grid.
¿ What is a charge controller?
Solar charge controllers regulate the flow of electricity from the photovoltaic panels to the batteries. This is important because batteries must be protected from overcharging and be maintained at optimum conditions.
¿ What is the convention Watt / hour?
Wh (watt-hour) is a measure of electricity use (or generation) over time.
¿ What is the difference between Watts and Watts per Hour?
The watt, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion or transfer. Solar electricity systems are given a rating in kilowatts peak (Kwp). This is essentially the rate at which it generates energy at peak performance for example at noon on a sunny day. The total amount of electricity the system actually generates in a year is measured in kilowatt hours (Kwh). This will depend on the system’s orientation, shading and how sunny your site is, as well as the size of the system in Kwp. The kilowatt is equal to one thousand watts. The megawatt is equal to one million watts. The gigawatt is equal to one billion watts, or the same as 1000 megawatts. The terawatt is equal to one million megawatts.
¿ What is the difference between nominal and peak power?
Peak power is also referred to as “nominal power” by most manufacturers. Since it is based on measurements under optimum conditions, the peak power is not the same as the power under actual radiation conditions.