Want to know if you can put solar panels on your fence, than this article is for you. Green homes are becoming more popular due to a worldwide shift towards sustainability, and paired with ongoing power supply problems, the demand for solar panels has increased rapidly. A once expensive renewable energy source is now more affordable than ever! Unfortunately, installing them can be a headache. Solar panels don’t work well on small roofs, and even if you mount them to full capacity, you might still not have enough to power your needs.
A great solution to this dilemma is mounting your solar panels to a fence or fence pole and in this article, I will go over everything you need to know. I explain how to do it, and what you can expect from your solar panels. It’s our goal here at SolarSena to give you the most accurate information possible, I hope you enjoy!
Can You Mount Solar Panels On a Fence?
At first glance, putting solar panels on a fence might seem like a bad idea. However, mounting solar panels to a fence is not as difficult as it seems, and it even has some benefits. Of course there are some drawbacks of having your panels on your fence such as your panels will facing the wrong way for half the day, unlike solar panels on roads (something that might be coming sooner than you expect), thankfully, you can easily work around this. Fence mounting a panel is less complicated than you think, and if you don’t have a fence, you can even build one using solar panels.
Mounting Solar Panels to a Fence
There aren’t many products designed specifically for mounting solar panels to a fence, but we’ve got you covered with some ideas! You can repurpose what’s already available at your local hardware store to perfectly fix your solar panels to any type of fence. Here’s what you can use:
Wall Mounting Supplies
You can use wall tracking systems to mount your solar panels to a fence. Wall tracking systems are designed to mount items on exterior walls, making them strong and durable.
Pole Mounting Supplies
Many people mount solar panels to poles when they run out of roof space. You can repurpose the same supplies used for this to mount your solar panels to your fence.
Professional Solar Installers
Most professional solar panel installation companies have the expertise to mount solar panels anywhere. If you have a location, like a fence for example, that you want solar panels on just ask a local company for a quote on how much installation will cost.
DIY Systems
If the options available for repurposing aren’t up your alley, you can always build your own mounting system. This way, you have more control over how and where you want to mount your solar panels. Of course this will take some expertise, however for those up to the task, a DIY solution can sometimes be the best option.
Remember to keep your solar panel size and weight in mind no matter which option you choose. Also, take note of your fence’s purpose and structural material as this is an important thing to consider when attaching solar panels to any material.
The Advantages of Fence-Mounted Solar Panels
There are many reasons why you might want to mount your solar panels in an innovative way. Whatever your reasons might be, there are advantages and disadvantages to everything. Here are some of the benefits:
Easy Maintenance
Having solar panels mounted on a fence will make reaching them for maintenance much easier than climbing onto your roof. This also means you’ll likely clean and check in on your panels more frequently. Additionally, Vertically aligned solar panels don’t accumulate as much dust on their surface either, so your panels will be more efficient between cleans.
Dual Purpose Solar Panels
Solar panels go great on roofs, but they take a lot of space. If your rooftop is small, or you don’t already have a fence installed, you can choose to use your solar panels as a fence. Your power-generating source will double as a privacy wall – what more can you ask for? On the other hand, if you already have a fence around your yard, you can still mount panels to it without taking up more space. A vertical alignment will be aesthetically pleasing while providing your with energy at the same time.
Governments can also integrate solar panels into noise barriers, generating electricity on public roadways while reducing noise pollution from busy freeways and intersections.
The Disadvantages of Fence-Mounted Solar Panels
As with most things there are advantages and disadvantages to mounting solar panels. If you decided to mount to your fence you need to weigh these against the benefits your will receive to see if it is worthwhile to mount your panels this way.
Less Sunlight
Mounting your solar panels vertically will reduce the amount of sunlight they catch. Even when you angle them towards the sun, they won’t harvest as many sun rays as they would have on a roof. This will mean that your panels are less efficient and will take longer to pay for themselves.
Easy Access
You’ll have an easier time accessing your solar panels for maintenance, however this is a double edged sword. Anyone who is looking to damage your solar panels or property will have an easier time accessing them. If you live where vandalism and theft are common, mounting your solar panels close to the ground might not be the best idea. If you do decide to mount to your fence, it could be worthwhile to look into getting insurance for your panels or even putting up a security camera to watch them. This would help deter vandals and is relatively inexpensive to set up.
Things to Keep in Mind When Planning to Fence-Mount Solar Panels
If you think a fence-mounted solar panel setup will work for you, keep these points in mind before installing them!
Use Bifacial Panels on your fence
Bifacial solar panels collect sun rays on both sides. While some contractors will say that installing these at all fence points is useless, doing so will help you utilize every drop of sunshine thrown in your panel’s direction – even if that side primarily gets shade.
Use Rotating Designs for fence mounted solar panels
Non-optimal angles can reduce your solar panel’s efficiency, but it’s not always possible to angle a solar panel so that it’ll collect rays for the entire day.
If you can’t install bi-facial panels, and this is one of your main problems when mounting your solar panels to a fence, you should consider using a mounting system that can rotate. With it, you can turn the panels during the day or install an automatic rotation device if you’re not home.
Plan Properly
If you live in a high-crime area or mounting solar panels to your fence won’t look good, consider building a patio awning made from them. You can also mount panels on the inside of an already secure fence to prevent outsiders from seeing them.
With proper planning, you can find the perfect spot for generating renewable energy in your yard.
In Conclusion
Vertically mounted solar panels aren’t the standard yet, but with the increased demand for renewable energy more and more innovative was to integrate solar panels are on the rise. If you plan on putting solar panels in an unconventional spot like your fence, use bifacial panels or mount single-sided ones with a slight angle if possible to ensure that they capture more sunlight. I hoped you enjoyed this article and learned something about mounting solar panels. Thank you for reading and if you have a topic you would like us to cover next be sure to leave a comment down below and we will get to it as soon as possible!
