Homeowners often install off-grid solar panels to power remote homes and backwoods cabins, but that isn’t the only use for an off-grid system. Why not get one for your workshop or garden shed?
If you have an outbuilding that isn’t wired for electricity, it isn’t good for much except storage. Add a solar panel system, though, and the space becomes much more useful — without increasing your monthly utility bills.
Photovoltaic power will let you transform an unused space into your own workshop, man cave or she-shed.
Where do you work on home improvement projects?
If you’re like many of us, you probably have an area carved out in the basement or garage for your workbench and tools. Reclaim that space and turn your garden shed into a workshop instead by installing an off-grid photovoltaic system.
Anytime the sun is shining, you’ll be able to work in your shed. You’ll have electricity for power tools, lights, a shop vacuum or whatever you need to get the job done.
What if you prefer to work on projects in the evening or on a cloudy day? Your photovoltaic panels need light to produce electricity, so they won’t work during these times. But if you add batteries to store the sun’s energy, you’ll be able to work any time of day or night, regardless of the weather.
Speaking of weather, winters in the Intermountain West can be brutally cold. Basement and garage workshops can be rather chilly, and so can garden sheds.
By adding photovoltaic panels to the rooftop, you’ll be able to warm the space with an electric space heater. This will allow you to work on home improvement projects in your shed in every season, even in the dead of winter.
Before investing in an off-grid system, you’ll need to determine the solar potential of your garden shed. Or, in other words, does the roof get enough sun to provide enough power?
Garden sheds don’t typically have their own addresses, so online mapping tools like PVWatts, Google’s Project Sunroof or Mapdwell aren’t going to be helpful in answering that question. You could rent or purchase a shade analysis tool like the Solmetric SunEye or the Solar Pathfinder. Or, for an easier and more accurate rooftop analysis, simply request a professional site evaluation from an experienced photovoltaic contractor like Intermountain Wind & Solar.
We offer free, onsite consultations and cost estimates for homeowners throughout the Intermountain West, including Idaho and Utah. Contact us today to learn more about adding off-grid solar panels at your home.
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