What Makes a Good Roof for Solar?

While getting started on your research on going solar, in addition to learning about incentives and tax credits, payback and financing, analysis of your site is critical to a successful project.

SunPower has found that rooftop installations and ground mounted installations are equally popular, based on your site's constraints and aesthetic considerations.

Often, to install a larger system or if township ordinances prohibit solar installations on the street-facing side of your home (even if that is the south-facing side!) consumers will go with a ground mounted system. Such as this project, installed in Bluebell, PA.

One of the benefits of a ground mount is the ability to orient it 180 degrees due south and tilt it at 35-40 degrees, ideal for our area.
So what makes a good roof?
* ORIENTATION: South (180 due south is ideal, but any south facing roof will work. SunPower will perform a thorough analysis to determine the output of your site's specific sun angle.) East-West roofs can also work
* SHADING: None! Any shading is not ideal, as long as you get good sun from 9am- 3pm however a solar system will work.
* AGE: The younger the better.
Please visit this site for more information:
http://www.getsolar.com/blog/what-makes-a-roof-good-for-solar/6928/