Saskatchewan's Green Directory Helping Saskatchewan choose a better environment

Photovoltaics generate electricity from solar radiation. They are not to be confused with the solar collectors used to heat water, etc.

What to look for

Consider the following when choosing a photovoltaic panel system:

• A system, not just panels

  As well as pv panels, you will need either a bank of batteries (for a standalone system) or an inverter (for a grid-tied system), cables and controls. These should be sized and installed by a professional.

• Size

  What area of panels is determined by your budget and by your house's south-facing roofs/walls.

• Panel statistics

  Your supplier should have available details of the panel he/she plans to install - specifically, the nominal efficiency, the nominal peak output power, the open circuit voltage, the short-circuit current and the V-I curve.

• Net metering

  SaskPower's policy on net metering (selling power back to the grid at the same unit price as you buy it from the grid) is official as of 2007:Oct:01. Check the policy carefully for details.