Does Going Solar Mean You Have to Cut Your Trees Down?

The sun releases 4.3 million tons of mass per second, and solar panels provide an excellent way for homeowners to harness some of that free energy. But what if your property has trees? If trees are blocking your panels’ access to sunlight, this negatively impacts the efficiency of your solar panels and results in reduced energy production. Does going solar mean you have to remove your trees?

Now there’s nothing you can do if a building or a neighbors home shades your property. However, just because you have trees doesn’t necessarily mean you have to cut them down. The number of trees and the height will be an essential factor when considering removal. It’s also important to remember that the sun doesn’t stay in the same spot all day, and depending on the type of tree, it won’t stay in full bloom all year. If your trees are in an area that doesn’t shade your roof for most of the year, is in a position that doesn’t obstruct sunlight, or the tree isn’t in full bloom during the time of year when it’ll be shading the panels, you could avoid cutting it down.

Part of the process of going solar is determining the ideal location to install the panels. Sometimes this can be a challenge if you live on a small property or have limited roof space. A home solar system works best when the panels are installed in a sunny area and have unobstructed access to sunlight. If possible, it should receive sunlight throughout most of the day, providing the panels an opportunity for maximum efficiency. Solar panels will still generate energy even when partially shaded, and if you have micro-inverters, then even partially shaded panels won’t affect the production of the entire system.

During pre-inspection, your energy consultant will determine if the trees on your property shade your future panels too much or if the effects would be negligible. Your solar project proposal will recommend removing the trees or placing the solar array elsewhere if there is roof space available. Another thing to consider is trimming trees back before installation as branches potentially damage your panels or encourage bird nesting, which could cause issues down the road. Although these scenarios could increase the initial cost of going solar, removing a tree is much less expensive than dealing with the headaches caused by a falling tree branch.

Since every property is unique, we use the latest in LiDAR technology to assess your roof’s energy-generating potential properly. Going solar doesn’t always mean you have to remove your trees. We also closely look at a homeowners’ overall energy goals before recommending any changes that will affect your home or yard’s aesthetic. Call or text the Energy Experts today at 951-678-7733 to learn more about how we can help you go solar and make the most of your homes’ solar potential.