I can’t tell you how many people have suggested that solar panels are ugly. There are just a certain number of people that do not like the idea of putting panels on their home because they think it looks bad.  I guess this is a matter of opinion because, on the flip side, I have had numerous clients tell me they have no concern about the appearance for the panels on their roof, or that they in fact think they “look cool”.  I have heard many solar professionals say that as they drive by properties with solar installed that they feel its a thing of beauty. But, you would expect that from a solar installer.  At any rate, I would say that the appearance of panels is one reason why our clients ask about putting solar panels on a barn, shop, or other building that is not so obvious to passers by.

Installation of panels on an outbuilding brings up a couple of issues.  One, is that it may add cost to the installation.  Some outbuildings may be a distance from the main home. The outbuilding may already have a power meter installed by the power company. For example, we do see many families who have a shop that is wired for electricity because the building is used for wood-working, or running power tools. There is usually lighting, and sometimes the building is quite nice and equipped with air-conditioning. In these cases there is an established power consumption for the building at the outset.  In that case, we would collect the power history for the outbuilding as well as your main home to determine the total power use.  

When someone goes solar, a new power meter needs to be installed that will show the “NET” power use or production.  The power company would need to install a meter on the outbuilding, the main home, or both as separate accounts.  Solar panels would be designed to power both the outbuilding and the main home. The main home and the outbuilding could maintain their separate billing from the power company, but all the panels for powering both the home and the outbuilding could also be placed on the outbuilding with the power production being run to the house.  This is assuming there is enough roof space for all the panels needed. In cases where this is possible, the building is usually large and has a lot of roof space.  In the alternative, where there is enough open land, panels can be built and placed in a ground array.  This is sometimes desired because maintenance for the panels is much easier when they are placed on a ground array. as well as it being a solution to not having enough roof space for all the panels needed.

In cases where the outbuilding has no meter to start with, the panels can be built on the outbuilding and then power run to the main house meter. All of the power created will run both the house and the outbuilding and measured via the meter on the main house, with no need to install a 2nd meter. In this case an underground trench can be created to run the power line from the outbuilding to the main house. The outbuilding would be origin of all your sun sourced power because that is where all the panels would be placed.  The power panel on your main home would need to be able to carry the full load of power being produced.

So, one main advantage of using an outbuilding for the panels is to avoid the appearance of panels on the main home.  The other reason , maybe to add power to an outbuilding that does not currently have any power and also power the house. Again, this can be achieved by using the meter on the main house, but consideration of the size of the system and whether your current power panel can handle to load to power both the main house and the out-building will need to be assessed.  In these cases, a licensed electrician will need to assess the particulars in your situation.

In the end, we generally come out to your home and assess the situation in-person.  While putting panels on an outbuilding can be fairly easy, its more involved in terms of cost and bidding the job. So, if you believe you may want to have a solar system put on your outbuilding, feel free to contact us and schedule an in-home consultation.