Are There Any Hidden Costs Associated with Solar Panel Installation?
Due to how reliable and its ability to reduce Electricity cost, the solar system is gradually becoming more and more popular in Nigeria. However while a lot of people tend to pay more attention on the amount they’re going to buy these solar panels, there are always other hidden costs that you may not really know which are often associated with the Installation.
If you are able to know and understand most of these hiddens costs, it’s definitely going to help you plan yourself very well so that you can easily avoid some expenses that might come as a surprise to you.
We’ll give you a breakdown of some of the possible hidden costs that concerns solar installation you might not be aware of in Nigeria, we’ll equally give you some tips on how you can escape them too.
1. Cost of Site Assessment and System Design
Before solar installation is being done on your site, professionals like that of Arenahub usually go to the site to conduct a kind of site assessment which will help them to decide the best places to set up and configure your solar system.
While some companies usually give this service out for free, there are others who may charge you from N10,000 to around N50,000 although it’s highly going to depend on the area your property is located as well as how complex the assessment is.
2. Installation Costs and Labor Fees
Although lots of solar energy companies out there usually advertise the price of their solar panels themselves, however most times the price for Installation is usually not included, they’re often separate.
For your solar panels to be Professionally installed, it will require a very skilled technician who can Install your system not only safely but also efficiently.
You can be charged around N50k to about N200k depending on how much you are able to negotiate, if for instance there’s need for additional work, let’s say rewiring of your home or maybe reinforcement of the roof to support the panels, you might have to pay even more money.
At Arenahub our pricing system is very transparent, we are very sure that you won’t be surprised by unexpected expenses.
3. Cost of Additional Equipment (Batteries, Inverters, Mounting Structures, and Cables)
Most people who are not knowledgeable about solar installation thinks it’s all about the solar panels, that’s far from the truth, a complete solar system involves more than just the solar panels, there may be need for you to purchase some additional components like:
READ ALSO: How Long Will It Take to Recoup the Cost of a Solar Installation?
a.Batteries:If you want your solar panels to be able to store power that you can use when it’s night or maybe rainy and cloudy days, then you definitely need batteries. For you to get very good and quality lithium-ion batteries, it can cost you around N250k to N1.5 Million. The higher the battery capacity, the higher the cost.
b.Inverters: Normally solar panels do produce DC Electricity, this kind of Electricity cannot be used in our homes for appliances, so it needs to be converted to AC Electricity. For the conversion, you will need an inverter. Based on current market prices, you can get these inverters around N150k to N800k, although the power capacity of the inverter will determine the amount of money you will pay for it.
c.Mounting Structures: You need these structures to help hold these solar panels in a place, most especially if your roof is not very good for direct Installation. to mount these structures can cost you anywhere near N30k to N150k
d.Cables and Accessories: You will also be needing very quality cables so as not to lose energy, although they aren’t really expensive, but you can budget N20k to N70k for these cables. You can get all these components at Arenahub, our prices are friendly too.
4. Roof Repairs or Modifications
Since most solar panels Installation is done on the roof, your roof must be in a very good condition before you Install solar panels on them.
If your roof happens to be weak or old, then you may need to reinforce them, or even replace them altogether. for you to modify or repair your roof in case it’s not in good condition, it can cost you around N50k to N500k, this amount will depend on the level of work that needs to be done on the roof.
If you happen to live in an area where the wind is always strong or heavy rainfall is constant, you may need to include additional support so that your panels can be well secured.
We at Arenahub have experts whose main description is to access your roof before Installation.
5. Maintenance and Cleaning Costs
Like we’ve always been saying, your solar panels need very minimal maintenance, however you still need to clean as well as service them occasionally so as to keep them in good condition, most times bird droppings and dirt can reduce how efficient your solar panels are over time.
a.For cleaning costs, most professional cleaning services can cost you within N10k to N35k
b.For Battery Maintenance, If you happen to use lead-acid batteries, then just know that they’ll require regular maintenance, and you will have to replace them every 3-5 years.
c.Inverter Servicing: Some inverters needs to be serviced from time to time, this can cost you around N10k and N50k
6. Government Fees and Permits
In some places in Nigeria, before installing solar panels, you may be asked for permits from local government authorities, this is very common if your Installation is a large scale Installation, these permits are not always expensive, however it might cost you anywhere within N10k to N50k, your location will decide the amount you are to pay.
If you happen to be installing these solar panels for let’s say commercial use, have it at the back of your mind that you’ll need to comply with government regulations, most times it comes with lots of paperwork and some fees too.
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