The best way to determine if your house or business is a good candidate for a solar energy system is to call a local solar professional. You can make an appointment with a knowledgeable sales representative who will conduct a thorough site evaluation. Most solar energy installers will charge a small fee for this service usually about $250. The solar site assessment is a feasibility study and information gathering exercise.

A quick walk around the house is necessary to check for obstacles, shading, and panel placement options. South facing roof surfaces are ideal. A North - South ridge line on the roof will require additional rack systems that can be ugly. The next step is to use a ladder to climb on the roof. The salesperson should have a solar pathfinder that can be used to determine the solar window, sun path, and sun angles. A solar pathfinder can be used with a tripod or set on a beanbag. This device has a round glass cover that can reflect trees and other obstructions and record data for different times of day and find shading throughout the year. Software called Solar Pathfinder Assistant can be used to generate a report based on a digital photograph of the solar pathfinder. Ideally you will want a good solar window between 9 AM to 3 PM. Currently solar panels can generate about 10 watts per square foot. As an example a 200 square foot roof can generate 2,000 watts or 2 Kilowatts of PV.

The solar site assessment is only a part of a much larger conversation. The salesperson will want to know why you are interested in solar energy? Installing a solar energy system is a big investment. You can discuss a cost benefit analysis of potential systems. After the solar assessment is complete the sales representative should send you a copy of the assessment with a list of goals and a cash flow spread sheet. They will use software to design the optimal system based on your site conditions and your goals and send you the specs and prices. This information should help you determine whether solar energy makes sense for you.

When buying a solar energy system always get a copy of the owner's manual for your records. This will be helpful for future maintenance and if you ever sell your house.