Rooftop Solar Mounts vs Ground Solar Mounts: Which is Right For You?

Selecting the best type of mounting system purely depends on your existing property and geographical location.

Solar mounts are the core components available in different types. Each is designed to strengthen the panel surface fixed at a proper position to maximize the sun’s energy absorption, which is crucial to increasing efficiency and longevity.

Knowing the difference between the two main types of solar mounts — Rooftop and ground-mounted becomes crucial in determining the right ones that suit your requirements based on certain key factors such as land and roof space, upfront costs, installation process, efficiency, Return on Investment (ROI) and maintenance.

Rooftop Solar Mounts

The rooftop solar mounts are fixed to a property’s roof that firmly holds the solar panels. Using the available roof space the solar panels can generate clean energy by gaining maximum exposure to sunlight.

Pros of Rooftop Solar Mounts:

• Well-Utilized Space: As you will be allocating the unused part of your roof, better utilization of the space enhances efficiency.
• Affordable installation expenses: Attaching your racking structure to roof rafters eliminates the need to set up a separate load-bearing structure for your array, and you can save extra money on installation, equipment, and labor costs.
• Overcomes shading issues: Installing the roof-mount solar panel system above the ground level helps to reduce the effects of shading from surrounding objects such as trees and buildings.
• Positive Real Estate Impact: Installing solar panels on roofs enhances your property value and helps you gain an extra source of income.

Cons of Rooftop Solar Mounts:

• Limited Roof Space Availability: At times, installing solar panels on your roof with 3.5 feet width and 5.5 to 6 feet height becomes challenging when there are components such as vents and air conditioning units that occupy more space. In such conditions, you have to be satisfied with smaller array or ground mount systems to meet your energy demands.
• Improper Orientation: Most often, solar panels generate huge power while facing south, particularly during afternoons, and with rooftop solar you might not get perfect orientation due to the limited options on your roof.
• Challenging Task of Roof Repairs: Although roofing materials last for a longer duration, your roofs require repair or replacement if the roof-mounted systems are installed which makes the repairing process more complicated.

Key Factors To Consider Before Buying Rooftop Solar Mounts

These are the important factors you should consider before purchasing the rooftop solar mounts:

1. Roof’s sun exposure: Check that your roof receives abundant sunlight throughout the day without facing any shading issues for optimal performance.
2. Condition of your roof: Consider the age, structure, and roof condition including any damages, leaks, or weak zones that might require repair before installation.
3. Impact of rooftop mount on roof warranty: You need to check with the roofing manufacturer to understand how rooftop mounting affects your warranty tenure.

Ground Mounted Solar Mounts

Ground-mounted solar panels are stand-alone solar arrays installed above the ground level and firmly connected with a pole or metal frame. Based on the required efficiency and output, the mounts can either be fixed to a tilt or tracking system. Despite equal sunlight, ground-mounted solar systems produce more electricity than rooftop systems due to their unique structure carefully modified with a tilt angle and orientation to gain maximum exposure to the sun.

Pros of Ground mounted solar mounts:

• Open Space Installation: The ground-mounted systems are easier to install in an open space without having the requirement to drill your roof. Moreover, the components are portable and easy to detach.
• Expansion: Ground-mounted solar systems are easy to expand by allowing the inclusion of additional solar panels as the energy demands continue to increase.
• Increased Efficiency: You need a separate structure for installation to result in an accurate tilt angle that helps to increase solar energy production.
• Simple Maintenance: The maintenance process involves fewer complications that result in reduced breakdowns and cost-effective repairs.
• Effective land utilization: The unused land can be used to produce clean energy that minimizes the dependence on external power sources and saves budget on your electricity bills.

Cons of Ground mounted solar mounts:

• Huge Land Space: A huge land space is required for installing ground-mounted systems which might not be suitable for small-scale properties. For example, you need to have at least 4 to 5 acres of land for installing a 1 MW solar plant.
• Higher upfront costs: Compared to roof mounts, ground-mounted solar mounts have huge upfront costs.
• Affects aesthetic value: The installation can abruptly alter the visual appeal of the house.
• Complicated installation process: The ground-mounted systems require trained experts with in-depth knowledge and experience to handle the difficult tasks in the installation process.

Key Factors To Consider Before Buying Ground Mounted Solar Mounts

The following are the crucial factors to be evaluated before you buy a ground-mount solar:

1. Land Availability: If you have an open space for installation, then ground-mounted solar mounts are the best choice to accommodate solar panels on a huge land that allows optimal sun exposure.
2. Soil Condition: Proper soil condition supports the weight of the mounting structure and performing a soil test helps to determine the longevity of the system.
3. Cost vs Benefit: You need to make a comparison of costs and benefits by considering important factors such as your system size, local electricity rates, present and future energy demands, and attainable incentives. This helps you make planned decisions and guarantees a viable financial investment.

Installation and Maintenance Considerations

The installation costs and maintenance complexities vary for roof and ground-mounted solar mounts in the following ways:

1. Rooftop solar mounts:

• Installation costs: The rooftop solar mounts for residential systems cost between $8,500 to $30,500.
• Installation Complexity: Due to less land space and the equipment required, the installation process is simpler compared to the ground mounts.
• Maintenance: It is crucial to frequently inspect the roof structure and implement effective measures against damages or wear that could affect the panels.

2. Ground-mounted solar mounts:

• Installation costs: The average cost of installing ground-mounted solar mounts ranges between $27,400 to $55,885 for a 5 to 15 kW residential system before any solar incentive. For larger businesses, the cost varies between $150,000 to $500,000 for a 50 to 200 kW system.
• Installation Complexity: Additional components and labor are required due to the complicated installation process. Also, few zones follow strict regulations for the ground mount when compared to rooftops.

Maintenance: These systems are easier to clean and repair which helps in a smooth maintenance process during peak performances. A few essential long-term maintenance techniques include:

• Frequent cleaning of accumulated dirt and debris.
• Trimming grass to reduce its overgrowth around the panels.
• Checking mounting structures and electrical wiring.
• Using advanced monitoring systems to track performances.

Cost Comparison and ROI

Ground-mounted solar mounts have higher upfront costs than rooftop as explained below:

1. Ground Mounted Solar Mounts:

To determine the suitability of ground-mounted solar systems for residential or commercial properties ranging between $27,500 and $500,000, let’s break down upfront costs in a tabular format:

Size	Residential	System Size	Commercial	System Size
Small	$27,500 before incentives	5 kW	$152,500 before incentives	50 kW
	$19,250 after tax credit		$106,750 after tax credit
Medium	$41,000 before incentives	10 kW	$277,000 before incentives	100 kW
	$28,700 after the tax credit		$193,900 after tax credit
Large	$56,000 before incentives	15 kW	$507,000 before incentives	200 kW
	$39,200 after the tax credit		$354,900 after tax credit

The Ground-mounted systems cost 10% more than roof-mounted due to additional materials and labor for best long-term services. However, your lifetime savings are higher than roof mounted with $30,000 to $60,000 over 25 years based upon your size and location.

Similar to the rooftop, users can make use of a 30% federal tax credit to reduce the upfront costs of ground-mounted solar mounts.

2. Roof Mounted Solar Mounts:

A standard rooftop mount suitable for residential purposes costs between $15 to $50 per panel and overall upfront cost varies between $8,000 and $30,000 depending on the type of your system.

On average, homeowners are expected with lifetime savings between $10,000 and $30,000 based on the increased property value, reduced electricity bills (annual savings of $400 to $1200 approximately), and various government incentives and rebates.

You can claim a 30% deduction on your installation costs using the federal tax credit. In addition, several states provide rebates, grants, and net metering programs that increase your return on investment (ROI) by minimizing your initial costs.

Which Type of Mount Is Right For You?

Before choosing between the roof-mounted and ground-mounted solar mounts, you need to keep these important factors in mind:

1. Available Space: Ground-mounted systems are suitable for users having large land areas, while rooftop mounts can be preferred only when your home is constructed within a limited land having the option to utilize existing roof space.
2. Cost: If you’re concerned about a huge budget, then selecting rooftop over ground mounted is the best option due to lower upfront costs.
3. Installation complexity: Unlike ground-mounted solar mounts, rooftop systems can be installed simpler and faster without requiring any site preparation, but you should properly evaluate the roof structure and quality before installation.
4. Maintenance: Despite its easier maintenance than rooftop systems in terms of frequently cleaning solar panels, the ground-mounted requires reduced interference from surface-level obstacles.
5. Performance and Efficiency: Ground-mounted solar can easily gain exposure to sunlight and offer higher efficiency than rooftop systems that are limited by the roof’s orientation.

By considering these above factors, it is suggested to consult a professional solar installer for a smoother installation process.

How to find out my roof’s suitability for installing solar panels?

Determining your roof’s suitability for solar panels can be easier by following these steps:

1. Structural integrity: Check that your roof is strong enough to support the installation of additional solar panels.
2. Age and condition: Before installing solar panels, it is important to rectify issues related to your roof if its lifespan is nearing completion or requires frequent repairs.
3. Impact of roof shingles: Solar shingles should be installed with a cautious approach, particularly the slate or clay type has a higher chance of damaging your roof.
4. Optimization efficiency with roof angle: To gain maximum sunlight exposure, your roof angle and geographical altitude should align with each other. However, roofs that are flat or imperfectly angled can support solar panels using mounting frames.
5. Predicting the possibilities of future shading: Understanding and planning for shading issues helps optimize the performance of your solar panel system on a long-term basis.

If your roof isn’t suitable for installing solar panels, there are other alternatives you need to consider such as ground-mounted systems, solar carports, community solar projects, and portable solar panels.

How much space do I need for a ground-mounted system?

The amount of space required for a ground-mounted solar system depends on certain factors such as:

1. Overall solar panels: To generate more electricity, you require more solar panels, influencing the needed space. To estimate the necessitated space, you need to multiply the number of panels by their surface area.
2. Adjusting the Tilt Angle and Row Spacing: Ensuring the proper tilt angle with equal spacing between rows prevents shading, especially during winters when the sun’s angle is low. For example, the highest tilt point can be attained by leaving a space of 1.5 times the panel’s height from the base level.
3. Orientation and Structure: Typically, the ground-mount solar arrays are structured in such a way that they face south so that the sun’s exposure can be gained at maximum level. Depending on the design, the panel’s orientation such as portrait or landscape can determine the space required. For instance, the landscape orientation requires less space between the rows when compared to the portrait mode as the longer side of the panels is horizontal and is lower than the base level.
4. Shading and Free Space: The maintenance and cleaning process is simpler if you allocate a few feet of extra space around the outer edge of the array and between the rows so that shading can be avoided from nearby objects including trees, buildings, etc.
5. The Flooring and Mounting Arrangement: The mounting system type and its flooring impact the required space. Fixed tilt systems occupy less space than the tracking systems having a single tilt angle that tracks the sun’s movement to enhance energy output. Whereas, tracking systems despite requiring huge space due to their large size can increase power generation.